A history of the Brazil

by James Henderson

The boat proceeded round this island into the bay of Jurufuba, for the purpose of obtaining an additional supply of water. We walked round the back of the hills that edge this bay to the fountain, where the water-casks were filled. Our road led by a delightful pathway embowered by verdant trees intermixed with orange, banana, and other fruits. Here and there a house of good external appearance was seen, and cultivation appeared to be making some progress. We purchased a rich supply of fruits from a widow whose shacara was well stored, and her daughter gratuitously presented us with large bouquets of flowers, whose aromatic scents were gratefully diffused in our cabin for some days. In the common apartment of the widow’s dwelling, secluded in a profusion of trees, was the figure of our Saviour, enclosed in a case with opened doors, illumined by a lighted taper.

Our next excursion was to a small opening between two headlands, not far from the fort of St. Cruz, containing a solitary white cottage, exhibiting much neatness at a distance: we soon, however, discovered that, like most Brazilian residences, its external appearance was not a proof of its internal comfort. There was only one pathway, conducting from this little praya, up a steep rocky mountain, on the summit of which we found a grey-headed old man, seated, with his black boy, and enjoying the varied scenery around. He said, that he frequently came from the city across the bay in a canoe to this retired situation. We descended the opposite side of the mountain, by a narrow and damp avenue, obscured by the meeting of rocks high above our heads, on emerging from which we found our progress stopped by two distinct precipices of granite; it was necessary to cross the first in an oblique direction to arrive at the second, an unlucky slip from which would have precipitated the passenger one hundred feet into the sea. We observed a rope hanging over its side, but could not imagine that it was the only descent into the valley below, until we returned to the old man, who informed us that there was no other way, and sent his boy to show us the mode of descending: with both hands he laid hold of the rope, which was imperfectly secured to a bush, and traversed the first precipice, stepping backwards and allowing the rope gradually to pass through his hands. Arrived at the second precipice, which was to be descended perpendicularly, he took hold firmly of a stronger rope, attached to a hanging tree, growing out of the interstices of the two rocks; he proceeded backwards, moving one foot after the other, horizontally placed against the side of the precipice, till he reached the bottom. Colonel Cotter, Captain Thomson, and myself, took off our shoes and proceeded in the same way, but the Colonel declined accompanying us further than the first precipice, in consequence of a wound received in his hand at the battle of Victoria. The valley we found to be thinly planted with mandioca, which, with a few solitary blacks and some miserable huts, was all that it presented to our observation. We ascended the precipices by placing ourselves in the same posture in which we had descended, and then returned with the rest of the party, who were waiting for us, to the vessel, our surprise being mutually excited at the extraordinary and intricate mode of communication between the two prayinhas. Whilst we lay at anchor, four Russian frigates entered the bay, in very fine order, and took their stations not far from the British ships of war, the Superb and Vengeur, then in the bay. The Russian frigates were proceeding upon a voyage of discovery to the South Seas. On our departure from the bay of Rio de Janeiro we had a favourable breeze, and in five days were in the latitude of Bahia, having run upwards of ten degrees of latitude, and seven of longitude. The wind now became adverse; but in five days afterwards we passed Cabo Calor, Rio Real, and Seregipe d’ el Rey, and on the following day were close in with land, northward of the St. Francisco. The coast was flat and covered with woods, a few huts being all that we could occasionally discover.

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

Printed by C. Hullmandel.

A JANGADA OR CATAMARAN NEAR PERNAMBUCO.

The currents we found setting in towards the coast much stronger and to a more considerable degree, than any of the charts extant account for. In the course of the 3d of December we indistinctly perceived some catamarans near the beach, and at dusk discovered Cape St. Augustine, affording us the hope of reaching Pernambuco next morning. At day-break on the 4th, Cape St. Augustine, Pernambuco, and Ollinda, were in view, with the land of the Cape elevated and jutting out into the sea, but presenting nothing remarkable. The coast near Pernambuco is flat, except some elevations in the distant back ground, and Ollinda situated upon an accumulation of rising eminences. On viewing it we could not but acquiesce in the exclamation of the first donatory of this province, “O que linda situacam para fundar huma villa.”[34] The whole country from the sea appeared richly wooded and interspersed with the cocoa-nut tree, and impressed the idea of fertility and cultivation. The jangadas, or catamarans, now passed near us on all sides, with their triangular sails, producing no inconsiderable surprise amongst the whole party. They are constructed of eight, ten, and some of twelve trunks of the buoyant jangada tree, rudely secured together by wooden bolts passing horizontally through the whole, and with cross-bars at the top, attaching the rafts more firmly together. The trunks are not of uniform length, and, being almost hid amongst the waves, would not be discovered at all without the sail and the two men who navigate them. The waves pass through the apertures between each trunk, and the men are constantly standing in water, one of whom steers with a large paddle passed indiscriminately between the ends of two of the rafts. Thus cotton and sugar from the places upon the coast and from the rivers are conveyed to the capital. Voyages of several hundred miles are performed by jangadas. An English gentleman proceeded to sea in one of them from Parahiba to Pernambuco, a small table was attached to the rafts upon which he slept, and although the sea is generally washing over them they are never known to upset. Our voyage had been an extremely pleasant one, and each individual had expressed the highest gratification not only at the mutual good humour that had prevailed, but the very great attention of the captain. The party frequently met on shore afterwards, and I received many civilities from Colonel Cotter and his lady during my stay at Pernambuco. The Colonel, before my departure, was appointed to the command of the militia regiments formed by the population of the town. We will defer speaking of the city of Pernambuco, or Recife, till we have concluded the description of the province.

This province was presented as a captaincy, with less extent of territory than it now contains, to Duarthe Coelho Pereyra, in reward for having repulsed the French from the river St. Cruz, re-establishing the factory which had been destroyed by them, and rendering other important services to the Portuguese government. The letter of donation was granted to him in 1534; and in the following year he set sail from Portugal, accompanied by his wife and some other families, who joined him for the purpose of colonization.[35]

The small village of Hyguarassu, which had its origin about four years before, was for some time the place of his residence, till Ollinda was begun, which he made his capital soon after its foundation. He was engaged in continued wars with the Cahetes, who were the former inhabitants of the country. He died in the year 1554, leaving his wife, D. Brittes d’Albuquerque, in trust of the government of the captaincy till the arrival of his hereditary son Duarthe Coelho d’Albuquerque, who was pursuing his studies in Portugal, and which he left in 1560 by orders of Queen Catharine, to protect the colony from the danger with which it was threatened by the revolt of some tribes of Indians whom his father had reduced to obedience.

The new donatory took with him his brother Jorge d’Albuquerque Coelho, and was accompanied by many friends and hired attendants to his new settlement, and had the promise of others to follow him for the purpose of augmenting the colony. He subjugated the whole nation of the Cahetes and divided them into hordes; and after a residence of many years returned to Europe, in order to accompany D. Sebastiano in his voyage to Africa, leaving his brother administrator of the captaincy, which progressively improved under his management.