A history of the Brazil

by James Henderson

Joam Amaro, called a town, does not surpass a small aldeia, with houses of wood covered with straw, but well situated near the margin of the Paraguassu, upon the road to the interior, about one hundred and forty miles to the west of Murityba. It has a chapel of St. Antonio, built of stone, and covered with tiles, which served as a mother church to the first inhabitants, whilst the fevers did not compel them to retire. Peter II. (then Regent,) gave to the Paulista, Joam Amaro, licence to found it, together with the senhorio, or lordship, as a premium for having conquered the neighbouring Indians, who at that time had descended to the coast, and destroyed the crops of the inhabitants of Cayru.

The town of Pedra Branca is an Indian aldeia, situated in a flat portion of territory, upon the serra of the same name, and is eighteen miles west-south-west of the arraial of Ginipapo. The houses are of wood, covered with palms, and the church, dedicated to the Lady of Nazareth, is built of adobe, and roofed with tiles. The origin of it was about the year 1740, for the habitation of two tribes of Indians, one of them being Cayrirys. It is surrounded with large woods. Ants, many of a very large size, are numerous, and do much injury.

St. Salvador, better known by the name of Bahia, situated upon the eastern side, and near to the entrance of the bay, (or Bahia de Todos os Santos,[28]) is an archiepiscopal city, and the largest, most commercial, and flourishing in the Brazil, (now excepting Rio de Janeiro,) and is celebrated for having been for more than two centuries the residence of the governors general of this state; but the government, with the title of a vice-royalty, was transferred to the governors of Rio de Janeiro in the year 1763. This city is the grand emporium of all the produce of its partially populated comarcas, already described, as well as the medium through which a portion of the productions of the circumjacent provinces are exported. Its situation, embracing all the commercial advantages of its rival port of Rio de Janeiro, will enable it, in the desirable march of improvement and civilization, of which this great country is yet so susceptible, to preserve its rank, at least of the second city in the Brazil.

It is nearly four miles long from north to south, including the suburb of Victoria in the southern extremity, and that of Bom Fim in the northern, and divided into two unequal parts, high and low; the higher and larger one situated upon an agreeable eminence, and the other at its western base, both without any regularity. The latter is denominated the Praya, in consequence of extending along the beach, and has not more than one street nearly the whole of its length, almost in the central part of which there are five that do not exceed two hundred and fifty paces in extent. Here is the seat of commerce, containing the stores of the merchants, and many capacious warehouses, denominated trapiches, for the reception of sugar, tobacco, cotton, and other exports; also a general deposit for farinha, grain, and legumes, called tulhas, where they are distributed to the people.

The lower town is divided into two parishes, the churches of which are both dedicated to Nossa Senhora, with the titles of Pilar and Conceiçao. The latter is a fine edifice with its front of European stone, and is richly decorated within. Near to it is the dock-yard and the marine arsenal.

The Cidade Alta, or High City, stands on elevated and uneven ground, the approaches to it, from the lower part, being exceedingly steep. The situation is commanding. The valleys and hortas, or country houses, in its vicinity, as well as the various trees of eternal verdure, give animation to the native beauty of its surrounding scenery. The houses are built with latticed windows and balconies. Sedans, of various forms, with canopies and embroidered curtains, are very numerous and convenient in ascending the steep streets, but attended with great labour to the slaves. These chairs are considered the most elegant in the Brazil. A better quality of meat is met with here than at Rio; and the fruits are very delicious, particularly the oranges, water-melons, and pine-apples, which are exposed to sale by black female slaves, who are also occupied in the disposal of doces, or sweetmeats, which are made in great perfection. This part of the city is divided into six parishes, with the churches of Nossa Senhora, of Victoria, St. Pedro, St. Anna, St. Antonio, SS. Sacramento, or Passo, and St. Salvador, which is the cathedral. There is a house of misericordia, with its hospital for the cure of the poor, a recolhimento for white orphans, and a great number of chapels, many of which, as well as the churches, are splendid; they appear every where to be the only public objects which engross the peculiar consideration of the government and the people; and here, as in all other places, the respectable parishioners go in short cloaks of crimson and other colours about the streets uncovered, begging for the churches, with a long wand and an embroidered bag, with the figure of our Saviour upon it, in their hands. Churches and convents are nearly the only public establishments in all towns that are at all worthy of description, of which latter this city also has a numerous catalogue; namely, the monasteries of the slippered and unslippered Carmelites, of the Benedictines, and the Franciscans, which is the most sumptuous edifice of the whole; the alms and entertaining houses of Terra Santa, unslippered Agostinhos, slippered Carmelites, Benedictines, Franciscans, and Italian Barbadinhos; also four convents of nuns, two recolhimentos more; and four Terceira orders of St. Domingos, St. Francisco, Carmo, and SS. Trinidade.

On Stone by C. Shoosmith from a Sketch by Ja^s. Henderson.

Printed by C. Hullmandel.

A BRAZILIAN SEDAN CHAIR, & A PERSON BEGGING FOR THE CHURCH.