The island of Mare, whose soil is mainly appropriated to the culture of bananas, the support of its inhabitants, is five miles long, little less in width, having its eastern extremity near the main land. The isle of Cajahyba, three miles long, low, and cultivated, is situated at the western extremity of the bay.
The island of Medo, which is very small, flat, and covered with cocoa-nut trees, lies west of the northern end of Itaparica.
Between the western side of Itaparica and the continent there are many islands, mostly small, flat, and uninhabited, in the proximity of the bar. Those of Cal and Cannas are the largest.
Rivers.—About three or four miles to the north-east of the point of St. Antonio is discharged the Vermelho, which does not exceed a rivulet, and is of very little extent. The road from the capital to Itapuan crosses it by a stone bridge.
Eight miles to the north-east of the river Vermelho is the bay of Itapuan, with a whale fishery. Between this bay and the said river there are fisheries which furnish the capital with fish.
Ten miles onward to the north-east is the mouth of the river Joannes, which originates in the district of the town of St. Francisco.
About ten miles further is the embouchure of the Jacuhype, which comes from a great distance, as also the Pojuca, which follows it.
The Itapicuru is formed in the comarca of Jacobina, by three streams of the same name. The southern one is called Guassu, or Large, and the northern Mirim, or Small. It flows uniformly towards the east, passes the arraial of St. Antonio of the Queimadas, by the town and arraial of its name, and discharges itself into the ocean ten or twelve miles to the south-west of Rio Real. Within its dangerous bar there is a bay; the navigation is short, and only for small craft. Its adjacent country is mostly of the catinga kind, serving only for breeding cattle.
The Jaguaripe, originating on the borders of the road to the mines, about forty miles west of the town of Cachoeira, in the situation of Curralinho, flows into the bay at Barra Falsa, affording navigation to large barks, for the space of twenty miles.
The river Paraguassu rises in the vicinity of the serra Chapada, about the centre of the district of the town of Rio de Contas. The small streams Cocho and Encantada, (Enchanted,) which flow from a lake of the latter name, so called from having a floating island, are the first confluents which it receives on the left; the Paraguassusinho (the Little Paraguassu) is the first on the right. The largest of the rivers that join it on the left is the Andrahy, which flows from the vicinity of the serra of Orobo. Not far from the mouth of this river a small stream enters the Paraguassu, which a little above re-appears, having flowed for some miles hid under solid ground. About twenty miles below the large cascade formed by its waters traversing the serra of Cincura, the Una joins it on the right, being the only abundant stream that enters on that side, and whose black waters change the crystalline Paraguassu to a yellowish colour. The Capibary and the Peixe enter it on the left, also the Jacuhype, which rises in the district of Jacobina. Twelve miles above the last confluence is the fall of Timbora, less than that of Cincura. This river passes the towns of Cachoeira and Maragogype, and discharges by a large mouth into the western side of the bay of All Saints. The water is excellent; but ought not to be drank till kept twenty-four hours. The occupiers of the central part of its banks are frequently attacked with fevers, which are often fatal.