9A0 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



hence the young creature soon dies of hunger, a sacrifice to distorted 

 nature. 



Though I have described the route from Laguna to St. Catharine's 

 by land, I proceeded at this time by sea, in a light brig. We had a fine 

 breeze, and kept close along the shore, passing a little to the Eastward 

 of the island of Arvoredos. This appeared to be a rock of a roundish 

 form, with a bold lofty shore ; but night prevented us from seeing much 

 of it, or of the neighbouring coast. The island, which gives name to 

 the province, is also high land. 



This Province, the smallest in Brazil, extends from the Mambituba 

 to the St. Francisco, and from the coast to the summit of the Serro. It 

 is divided into three parishes, and contains seven wretched villages, made 

 up of mud huts, irregularly placed, and thirty thousand inhabitants. 

 It enjoys a very agreeable climate, and is accounted a cheap place of 

 residence. On this account an English family, with straitened finances, 

 settled here ; but, though attaining their first object, they were, on the 

 whole, miserably disappointed. There are none of the most common 

 accommodations, the habits of the people^are disgustingly dirty, and 

 their morals depraved. The opportunities and means of commerce were, 

 also, at that period, few, but have since become more abundant. 



St. Catherine's appears to have been the station of many of the 

 earliest colonists ; its native inhabitants having often been observed to 

 differ considerably from the true bred Portuguese, in stature, figure, and 

 manners. This difference may arise partly from the great variety of 

 masters who have ruled the country, and partly from the multitude of 

 strangers, who, for a long period, have visited it. 



To early colonization, as well as to a favourable climate, may pro- 

 bably be traced the superiority which the island of St. Catherine has 

 obtained in its productions over many other parts of Brazil. Both 

 Wheat and Milho are grown here, Pulse is cultivated in every part. 

 Onions are abundant, and have credit for singular excellence ; Mandioca 

 flourishes in the sandy soil, near the coast, and there are plantations of 

 Sugar and Coffee. The Oranges are chiefly of the small red kind, called 



