Serinhehem, commonly called Santarem, is a very small town, near the mouth of the stream of that name, and peopled with Indians, who are fishermen, agriculturists, and cutters of wood. St. Andre is the titular patron of its church.
Cayru, a town of medium size, pleasantly situated upon a small island of the same name, between those of Tinhare, Tupiassu, and the continent, has one good paved street, with many houses of one story. At its extremity is a convent of St. Franciscans; also a church dedicated to Our Lady of Rozario, a hermitage of the Lady of Lapa, and royal schools of the primitive letters and Latin. Some ouvidors select this place for their residence; those now holding this appointment are also judges, conservators of the woods, and preside at a junta denominated Conservatoria.
Igrapiuna is an insignificant maritime town, at the mouth of the small river of the same name, between Santarem and Cayru. Its inhabitants are white, cultivators of rice, and other necessaries. It has a church of Our Lady of Griefs.
Boypeba, an old town upon the island from which it takes the name, is peopled by whites, who cultivate very little beyond the provisions of life. The church is dedicated to the Holy Spirit.
Valença is an increasing town, upon the northern margin of the Una, a little above its mouth. The church is dedicated to the Holy Heart of Jesus, and its inhabitants are Indians and European descendants. Coffee and timber are their productions.
About two miles from the lake of Itahype, and very agreeably situated, is the povoaçao of Almador, with a church of Our Lady of Conceiçao. The inhabitants are composed of whites and Indians, for the latter of whom the establishment was founded; they produce farinha and other necessaries, and are cutters of timber.
In a peninsula formed by the river Patype, near its mouth, and on the most fruitful soil, is the large parish of St. Boaventura. The inhabitants, who are also whites and Indians, grow abundance of rice, mandioca, feijao, and Indian corn; cut wood, possess some cattle, and are great fishers and hunters. The water-melons and pine-apples are here very excellent and large.
Comarca of Jacobina.
The comarca of Jacobina takes its name from the head town, and comprehends all the western part of the province, a considerable portion of which consists of catingas that are not susceptible of agriculture, but are appropriated alone to breeding cattle. Mountains of any considerable elevation are rare, and woods are seen only where the soil possesses some degree of substance, portions of which are cultivated with mandioca, Indian com, sugar, legumes, hortulans, and cotton. It is probable, from the considerable extent of this district, and the system which the government is now adopting, of forming the provinces into comarcas, that it will be divided into two, in which event the town of Rio de Contas would be well suited for the head of the future comarca. And for the better delineation of the topography of the country, we will already consider it as divided into two equal parts, or districts, that of Jacobina to the north, and Rio de Contas to the south.
Mineralogy.—It possesses gold, brass, iron, and silver; saltpetre, mineral salt, potters’ earth, crystals, limestone, grindstone, and granite.