firming the account, namely, that from the sierra of crystal, eastward, there were to be found emeralds, and, westward, zaphyrs, brought home some as a proof, which were forthwith transmitted to the king. Just at this period the crown devolved on Philip II. king of Spain, and these discoveries were pushed no father; those valuable spots remaining in the possession of the infidels, and the different routs which had been taken being so completely lost sight of, as never since to admit of discovery, notwithstanding the frequent search that has been made after them. There are in this province two towns, which are, that of its name, and that of San Antonio de las Caravellas; and two leagues distant from the former is the church of Nuestra Señora de Ayda; celebrated for the miracle of a copious fountain, which burst forth on a sudden from the rock when the church was building, and when there was a lack of water. · [We have extracted the following description of the province of Porto-Seguro, of the manners of its inhabitants, and of its trade, manufactures, military establishments, &c. from the compendious little history by Mr. Grant. The trade from Brazil to Europe is chiefly carried on by three principal ports. These are, Grand Para, Bahia, or the Bay of Santos, and Rio Janeiro. Into the last of these are poured the treasures from the mines of the s.; and from this port are exported the commodities of PortoSeguro, Spiritu-Santo, and S. Vicente. The province of Porto-Seguro is bounded on the n. by the Rio Grande, which separates it from the captainship of the Ilheos; and on the s. by that of Spiritu-Santo. Porto-Seguro, so denominated from its being a safe harbour, is formed by a ledge of rocks that stretch out from an extended point of the main, about a mile, in a direction_parallel to the land, forming a natural mole. These rocks, These rocks, which are dry at low water, terminate abruptly, and again appear at the distance of half a league. The space between these rocks is the bar or entrance to the harbour, over which, during high tides, the depth of water is about 20 feet; but, within, it decreases to 12 feet. A little farther up, however, where a river disembogues itself into the harbour, the water again somewhat deepens. This port has a fine sandy bottom, terminating in a broad beach. On entering the port, the adjacent country presents to the view a most delightful and variegated landscape. Close to the shore we behold a range of fishermen's cabins, shaded with luxuriant trees; and in the back ground, extensive woods, intersected with paths leading to various sequestered habitations. To the n. rises a steep hill, on the summit of which stands the capital, termed, like the province, PortoSeguro. Though, from its commanding situation, this city certainly has an elegant aspect at a distance, yet, on tance, yet, on a nearer approach, its general appearance is mean and wretched. The streets are straight and sufficiently wide; but they are irregularly disposed, and the houses, in general, low and ill-constructed. Few of them are above one, and none of them exceed two stories; they are built of a soft kind of brick, and covered over with plaster; the windows are furnished with a kind of split-cane blinds, as a substitute for casements. There are no public edifices in Porto-Seguro deserving of attention. deserving of attention. The town-house is a large quadrangular building; and the prison is also of considerable extent. There are only two churches in the city, one of which is a neat plain building, furnished with glass casements; but the other is no way distinguished from the warehouses, except by having been erected of better materials, which are a mixture of stone and red brick. In 1550 a monastery of Franciscans was established, at the expence of the city, which has long since fallen into a state of decay. On the banks of the river running at the foot of the hill, on which stands the city, a village is situated equal in extent to the town itself. It consists of about 400 huts or cabins, and, including Indians and slaves, contains a population of nearly 3000 souls. The sole occupation of these villagers consists in fishing off the islands and rocks of Abrolhos, where a species of salmon abounds, which is salted for the market of Bahia. About 50 or 60 small vessels are employed in this fishery, and remain at sea for a month or six weeks till their cargoes are completed. Those of the inhabitants not engaged in this fishery are employed in careening and repairing these vessels, and manufacturing the lines and nets. These lines are excellent, being composed of cotton well twisted, and afterwards several times rubbed over with the inner bark of a tree, which contains a glutinous substance that hardens] [on the exposure to the sun, and is proof against the action of salt water. These lines are therefore both strong and elastic. These fishing vessels are the property of a few individuals, who are comparatively rich. At Bahia they either receive cash in return for their fish, or else exchange them for different articles of food or clothing, which they retail to such of their more indigent neighbours as can afford to purchase them. The food of the inhabitants consists principally of salt fish and the flour of the manioc, which is sold here at about 3s. 6d. per bushel. Scanty, however, as may be their means of enjoyment, they at least live in a temperate climate, where they are exposed to fewer miseries, and experience fewer hardships, than the inhabitants of colder regions. In the latter, a sheltered habitation, warm clothing, and fuel during the rigorous season of winter, are necessary to the comfort of existence; whereas in a tropical climate these necessaries may with less inconvenience be dispensed with, or a sufficiency of them more easily obtained; while food is supplied in greater abundance by the bounteous hand of nature, in warmer than in colder countries. Thus, for instance, oranges, bananas, cocoas, and a profusion of other delicious fruits, which are so highly prized in Europe, form part of the sustenance of the poorest inhabitants of these climates. Various species of fish, besides that already mentioned, abound on the coast, but the inhabitants are of too indolent a disposition to avail themselves of this advantage, consequently fresh fish is both scarce and bears a high price at Porto-Seguro. Beef, of a very indifferent quality, and of which but a scanty supply is brought to market, is in general sold at three vintimsabout 4d. per pound; and mutton or pork is almost unknown. No attention is indeed paid in this district to the breeding of hogs or sheep, though the woods afford an inexhaustible store of food for these animals. The more opulent part of the inhabitants possess each a country-house, with extensive plantations of sugar-cane and manioc attached to them. These farms are in general situated on the banks of a river which runs past the city. They are well stored with poultry and domestic cattle, but from the total deficiency in the art of cookery, their tables are not much better supplied here than in the city; and indeed they may be said, in a great measure, to exist in poverty and want in the midst of abundance. in Rio is extremely small, but here, if we are The attention paid to literature and science to rest on the authority of Mr. Lindley, who in Porto-Seguro, the inhabitants are buried in a was unwarrantably detained a considerable time still greater degree of ignorance. nearly unknown among the females. In some "Employment of any sort," he observes, "is instances they fabricate a kind of coarse lace universal among them. The needle they are for their own use, but even this is by no means still less acquainted with; for there are few who can sew the simple chemises (although their chief for that purpose. Cookery is entirely out of the article of dress), and they have Mulatto slaves question, their general diet not requiring nor admitting it; and so completely ignorant are they of this addition to our comforts, that some flour which I had I could not get converted into bread throughout the town.' delicious fruits for preserves; but this The province naturally abounds in the most ration too is totally neglected by the ladies, prepaeven the confections and marmalades of Bahia slaves. In short, the people here merely vege and Rio de Janeiro being manufactured by male lence, increased by the equal neglect of their tate in a senseless apathy and unnerving indominds: for few of the females can read; and acquire. writing is an art which not many of the men The same inanimate existence and constitulose whole days in visiting each other, yawning tional idleness characterise the male sex. They pence; while the plantations, &c. are carried in flimsy conversation, or playing at cards for on by European overseers, some favourite Mulattoes, or confidential slaves. Nor is the climate to be admitted as an excuse for want of European September, and their winter months exertion for many weeks are moderate as an are generally so. Éven during the hot days, hours of every evening and morning, during there are intervals of cool breezes, besides some which the sun's rays have but little force, and nerally found within the tropics, and particularly the ground is cool, from the excessive dews gehere. selves on the circumstances of their's being the The inhabitants of Porto-Seguro plume themimmediate spot where Brazil was first discovered by Cabral; and they still preserve with great veneration the holy cross that was erected under a spreading tree at the first high mass, with mu-] [sic, discharge of ordnance, &c. during which the Indians, they say, flocked in crowds at a sight so novel, and continued in profound silence, absorbed in amazement and curiosity; and that the divine spirit so visibly manifested itself, that the natives, at the moment, were converted to the holy faith. The interior of the district abounds with wild cattle and horses, but they never approach the coast. The horses employed by the inhabitants are of the Buenos Ayres breed. They are in They are in general 14 hands high, small boned, but capable of sustaining great fatigue; they, however, neither possess much beauty of form, nor display much spirit in their motions. The sheep here, with a few exceptions, are of a small breed, and resemble those of Europe. There is one variety, however, that has several horns, and another apparently of the hairy African breed. The ewes of Guinea (ovis Guineensis), might be transported from Angola to Brazil with the greatest advantage. The numerous herds of cattle that are found in this and indeed in the interior of all the provinces of Brazil, might, under proper management, afford cheese and butter, not only for home consumption, but also for foreign commerce; but at present these useful articles are prepared in small quantities, and rather for curiosity than use. The cheese made in the colony is of a very indifferent quality; and it is a pretty general opinion, that butter cannot be prepared on account of the heat of the climate; though it is well known that in the East Indies, where the weather is much warmer, most excellent butter may always be procured. The vast number of oxen killed in Brazil are mostly slanghtered on account of their hides, though it is evident that, besides salting the carcase, other parts of the body might be appropriated to some useful purpose. But without the adoption of a liberal plan of policy, and judicious encouragements being offered for the promotion of agriculture, it will, in all probability, as well as its sister arts, continue to languish in a country possessing every advantage of climate and natural situation. The mules reared in and near Porto Seguro are large, well shaped, and extremely handsome. They are lively, and do not display, in their general appearance, the sluggishness common to these animals. The wild animals of this district are similar to those of the other provinces of Brazil. The ravenous quadrupeds of the New World, such as ounces, leopards, tygers, hyenas, &c. display less ferocity, and are far inferior in size and strength to those of the same kind in the African and Asiatic continents. The pregusia or sloth is very common in this province, and perfectly harmless. Its head is round, with a very small round mouth, and small blunt teeth; its nose is black, high and smooth, but the other parts of the body are covered with ash-coloured hair, and the eyes are small, black and heavy. This animal, which is about the size of a fox, feeds on the succulent leaves of trees, which serve it both for food and drink. Though its limbs appear to be exceedingly weak, it will nevertheless lay hold so firmly of the branches of trees, as not to be easily shaken off. So great an antipathy has the sloth to rain, that on its approach it carefully conceals itself. It cannot proceed above a stone's throw in the course of several minutes, and derives its name from the uncommon slowness of its motion. Monkeys, which are so numerous in other parts of this colony, are here extremely scarce: the few that do frequent the woods in the neighbourhood of Porto Seguro are chiefly of the grey sort. Armadilloes are, however, extremely numerous, and run about in every direction. One species possesses a quality similar to the hedge-hog, of rolling itself up into a ball when attacked, and presenting on all sides its scaly covering, which forms an impenetrable shield. The saratue, which is about the size of our fox, is an extremely savage animal, and commits great depredations among the poultry in the vicinity of the city. This animal, when attacked, defends itself with great resolution. The woods and groves abound with various birds, some of which display the most brilliant and gaudy plumage, while others delight us by their melodious voices; but as they do not differ from those in the other provinces, we shall not here enter into a particular description of them. The botanical productions are here, as in every part of this country, extremely abundant. They are, however, but little known to the inhabitants, and from the extreme jealousy of the government, learned foreigners have been hitherto prevented from examining them. Many of the trees round Porto Seguro exude gums of a resinous, mucilaginous, and balsamic nature. Among the latter is one similar to the balsam of Peru, which is collected by the inhabitants, and exported in considerable quantities to Europe. It is procured from the female of the pine tribe, and is collected in pans after the tree is cut down. Towards the northern extremity of this captainship, the banks] [of the Rio Grande are covered with immense forests, which are considered as the best in Brazil for the purposes of ship-building. It is from hence that the king's yards are principally supplied with timber. The trees chiefly employed for this purpose, are the sippipira, which resembles the teak of India, and the peroba, oraubu, and louro, which are species or varieties of oak and larch. Cedar and other woods, which are used for deck planks, also abound in these forests, as well as brazil and logwood, mahogany, camwood, campeachy, and various other. The Rio Grande is navigable for canoes to a great distance, uninterrupted by any falls or rapids. After ascending the country to a considerable distance westward, it takes a direction to the south, and is supposed to originate beyond the mines of Pitangui, though its source has not hitherto been explored. It is broad and deep at its mouth within the bar, and for a considerable distance above it. An expedition was undertaken a few years ago by the two sons of the civil governor or judge of the province, Sen. Joze Dantes Coelho, accompanied by his servant and the capitian mor, or military captain of Port Seguro, attended by their servants and a party of Indians. During fifteen days they proceeded up the river in canoes, without experiencing the slightest interruption. They found its banks clothed with the most valuable natural productions, the forests abounding with hogs, and the savannahs with cattle. At the termination of their voyage they observed small diamonds scattered over the ground, at a short distance from the river, as well as several other precious stones. The diamonds did not appear to them of great value; but they proposed to repeat their excursion, with a view of more accurately investigating this part of the district, when they were prevented, by the interposition of government, from carrying this resolution into effect. From the cursory observations which their short stay enabled them to make, it appears evident, that under an enlightened administration, and with proper encouragement, settlements might be formed on the Rio Grande of Porto Seguro, which in a short time would become a great national benefit, though at present, from the most absurd and mistaken policy, the Portuguese government wish it to remain unpeopled and unknown. On the coast, to the s. of the Rio Grande, has been lately established the settlement of Belmont, which is at present in a thriving condition :: and, a little farther on, we meet with the town of Santa Cruz, which is about five leagues distant from Porto Seguro. The town, which has never been large, is now rapidly falling into a state of decay the harbour admits only small vessels, drawing about 12 feet water; but in the Coroa Vermeil, immediately adjoining, ships of any burden may safely come to anchor. To the s. of Porto Seguro, the small shallow bay of Tranquoso indents the shore. This part of the coast is delightful, and covered with several thriving plantations. At a small distance from Tranquoso, on the banks of the Rio des Fratres, the country is uninhabited; owing possibly to the risks to which vessels are exposed, on entering this river, from its mouth being choaked up by a very dangerous bar. To the s. of the Rio Fratres, the country becomes mountainous. Monte Pascoa serves as a land-mark to those mariners who navigate this part of the coast, which is extremely dangerous, on account of a continuation of reefs, sunken rocks and shallows, especially to those vessels which approach to the river Carevellos; though the neighbouring pilots are so extremely skilful, that very few accidents are known to occur. From the Rio des Fratres to Villa Prado, the coast is inhabited by numerous hostile tribes of Indians, which renders travelling so extremely dangerous, as to cut off all communication by land between these two places. The latter is a flourishing fishing town. The inhabitants in the vicinity of this village, as well as of Alcoabass, which is situated at a short distance from it, are chiefly occupied with the culture of manioc, and the preparation of the cassava powder, which they carry to the port of Carevellos. On account of a dangerous bar, only vessels of small burden can enter this harbour, though within it the water deepens to 10 fathoms. The town of Carevellos is situated about six miles above the mouth of the river. It is more populous, and the buildings somewhat superior to those of Porto Seguro. The country around is covered with plantations of manioc, whence large quantities of this useful article are sent to Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and Pernambuco. Small craft are built at the port of Carevellos, not only for their own use, but in order to supply what is wanted at Porto Seguro. San Matthias, which forms the boundary of Porto Seguro in this direction, lies about 10 leagues to the southward of Carevellos. Here likewise we meet with extensive plantations of manioc. The coast of this captainship extends] [for the length of 70 leagues, with an unbounded extent of country towards the w. though at present there are no settlements in that direction above 10 or 12 leagues from the sea. Gold and valuable minerals abound in the interior of many this district. The extreme jealousy displayed by the Portuguese, respecting the admission of strangers into their colonies, renders our knowledge of the interior of this interesting country still extremely defective. During Mr. Lindley's enforced stay at Porto Seguro, the commission empowered to seize his papers, found in his possession a small quantity of grain gold, intermixed with gold-coloured sand, which had been given to him by one of the colonists, as a sample. This strongly attracted their curiosity, and he was strictly questioned respecting it. This gentleman frankly informed them how it came into his possession, but declared that he was totally ignorant of the person from whom he received it, though he had reason to suppose that he was an inhabitant of a distant settlement; on which he was ordered to prepare for a journey, in order, if possible, to discover and identify the individual from whom he obtained it. . In consequence of this determination, he was commanded to be in readiness to accompany the minister, &c. on the following morning, at five o'clock; and he gives the following interesting account of that part of the district which he was thus enabled to visit. "On the second of August," says he, "we mounted our horses, altogether seven of us, and took the beach to the s. After an hour's ride, abruptly turned to the w. into the country, and ascending a steep height, soon arrived at the chapel of Nossa Senhora de Judea, on its summit. The prospect from hence is grand indeed, not only of the surrounding country, but commanding the adjacent ocean, upon which the white walls of the chapel form an excellent seamark; and its patroness, the virgin, is particularly invoked by the neighbouring coasting vessels and fishing smacks, in cases of distress or contrary winds: her fame even extends to curing several disorders, if called on with proper faith. The inside of the building is decorated with rude drawings of vessels in distress, and of sick cham-bers; having inscriptions under each, of the different cases which they are intended to comme morate. "After eating a biscuit, and drinking some of the good vicar's water, we visited several plantations and ingenios in the neighbourhood, at one of which we procured an Indian guide. Taking the course of the river, we had a beautiful ride over a fine champaign country, wanting only cultivation to form the best of meadow land; the soil black mould, at times gravelly, clay patches and sandy flats. "Leaving the open land, we entered the woods of ages, through a narrow path, which admitted only one horseman abreast, and was impenetrably defended from the sun's rays by the overhanging branches, which sometimes were so low as to be very inconvenient. After two hours smart ride, the country again opened; and we passed several plantations of sugar-cane, mandiock, &c. with pieces of ground partly cleared, and numberless other spots capable of being converted into fine land, either for pasture or tillage. The scene now changed to a range of low hills, lying e. and w. in the direction of the river, to which the land gradually descended; but on the opposite bank it rose precipitately to a high cliff, covered with never-fading verdure. Riding parallel to these hills, about one o'clock we arrived at the plantation and ingenio of Jaoa Furtado. Here we alighted, expecting better accommodation than we might meet with at the Villa Verde, a little further; which, being an extreme settlement, is inhabited only by the vicar (a missionary), three whites, and a few converted Indians. "Our host was an old bachelor of 70, who resided with a maiden sister, of nearly the same age. The old man told me he was born near the spot; that his life had been a series of industry; and the ingenio, building, furniture, &c. were almost entirely the work of his own hands. I found him very conversant in the natural history of the country around him, particularly in ornithology; and I was sorry our momentary stay enabled me not to obtain more information. "The word ingenio is the Portuguese distinction of those who have a sugar-work, here very simple, consisting of three rollers of ponderous wood, two feet in diameter, and three in length, working horizontally in a frame: the upper part of the centre roller joins a square beam that ascends through the frame-work, and to which are affixed cross pieces, sufficiently low for the harness of two horses, that move the whole. The side-rollers work by cogs from the centre one. Underneath this machine is a long trough, slanted, that receives the juice of the cane as pressed out by the rollers. The juice is then conveyed to a shallow boiler, of six feet in diameter, and skimmed from all impurities: after cooling in] |