THE BRAZILS, 
CHAP. V. 
I GENEHAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE BRAZILS. 
Discovery of the Brazils — Mode of colonizing the Country — Failure in the 
Attempt to convert the Natives to Christianity, and to Slavery — Negroes 
imported from the Coast of Africa — A Frenchman^ s Humanity to a Cargo of 
Slaves — Treatment and Condition of Slaves in the Brazils — Advantages of 
this Country over the West India Islands — Reflexions on Slavery — Discour- 
aging System of the Portugueze with regard to the Brazils — Valuable Pro- 
ductions of — Treaty of Commerce between England and Portugal — Deplorable 
State of the Spanish Colonies — Dangerous Doctrine of revolutionizing South 
America — Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, and St. Catharine's, three important 
Points on the Coast of Brazil — Strength of Rio, and inilitary Force. 
TTuE discovery of tlie American islands seems to have been 
the result of a preconcerted enterprise, but that of the coast 
of Brazil was merely accidental. The Portugueze Admiral 
Cabral, when conducting an expedition round the Cape of 
Good Hope, resolved, in consequence of the calms and baf- 
fling winds which his predecessors had iuA arial^ly experienced 
near the coast of Africa, to try a different though circuitous 
route, by crossing the equinoctial line many degrees to the 
westward of that part of it where hitherto it had been cus- 
tomary. Having accomplished this point, and keeping his 
sails full with a brisk south-east trade to the southward of the 
