A history of the Brazil

by James Henderson

Rivers.—The most considerable are in the western part of the province; but we shall defer speaking of them till we come to finish the description of the river St. Francisco, into which they discharge themselves.

The principal ones in the eastern part of the province are the Capibaribe, the Ipojuca, the Una, the Tracunhaen, or Goyanna, and the Serenhen.

The Capibaribe, or river of the Capibaras,[37] has its origin in the district of Cayriris Velhos, about fifty leagues distant from the sea. Its source is brackish; the channel very stony, with many falls, and navigable only for about eight miles. It is discharged by two mouths, one within the Recife, and the other near four miles to the south, at the arraial of Affogados, where there is a wooden bridge two hundred and sixty paces in length. Topacora and Goyta are its principal confluents, both of which join it by the right bank, with an interval of four or five miles. The latter runs from a lake, denominated Lagoa Grande.

The Ipojuca rises in the Cayriris Velhos, near the Capibaribe, and runs through countries appropriated to the culture of cotton and sugar, which productions have been extremely advantageous to the agriculturist. It disembogues between Cape St. Augustine and the island of St. Aleixo, forming a port for the small vessels by which it is frequented.

The Serenhen, which is considerable and advantageous to the cultivator, empties itself almost in front of the isle of St. Aleixo. One of its largest confluents is the Ceribo, which meets it on the left bank, not far from the sea.

The Una comes from the district of Garanhuns, with a course of nearly forty leagues, and in the vicinity of the ocean receives on the right the Jacuipe, which is inferior, and runs into the sea through large woods. Both serve for the conveyance of timber, that is laden in the port at its mouth, which is about seven leagues to the south-west of the island of St. Aleixo.

The Goyanna, which is handsome and considerable, runs into the sea nine miles to the north of Itamaraca, between the point of Pedras and the Cocoa-Tree Point. It takes this name at the confluence of the Tracunhaen, which has a considerable course, with the Capibari-mirim, much inferior, about three leagues from the sea, to which place smacks and small craft ascend. The water of the first is only good at the source.

The other rivers upon the coast are the Cururippe, which discharges itself twenty-eight miles north-east of the St. Francisco; the St. Miguel, twenty-five miles further; the Alagoas, so called from being the mouth of two large lakes; the St. Antonio Mirim; the St. Antonio Grande; the Cammaragibe; the Manguape; the Rio Grande; the Formozo; the Maracahippe, which runs into the sea between the Serenhen and the Ipojuca; the Jaboatao, which receives near the coast the Parapamba by the right bank, their common mouth being designated Barra da Jangada, and is two leagues to the north of Cape St. Augustine; the Iguarassu, which discharges itself with considerable width five or six leagues north of Olinda, and is formed by several small rivers, that unite about seven miles from the ocean. All these rivers admit of the entrance of boats and small vessels. The Moxoto, after a considerable course, empties itself eight miles above the fall of Paulo Alfonso. It is only a current during the rainy season. The delicate mandin fish, which proceed up whilst it is full, as soon as the river ceases to run, and the water begins to grow warm in the wells, pines away, and soon dies. The Pajehu is only a current whilst the thunder showers prevail.

Promontories.—Cape St. Augustine, the only one upon the coast, is the most famous in the new world, and the most eastern land of South America, in the latitude 8° 20’. Here is a religious hospicio of slippered Carmelites, dedicated to Our Lady of Nazareth, which many captains formerly honoured with a salute on passing. It has two forts, each of which defends a small port, where vessels of an inferior class can come to anchor.

Islands.—Itamaraca, for a considerable time called Cosmos, is three leagues long from north to south, and one in the widest part; it is mountainous and inhabited. Its principal place is the parish of Our Lady of Conceiçao, situated on the southern side, about half a league above the mouth of the Iguarassu. This was formerly a town, the prerogative of which was transferred to Goyanna, whose senate goes annually to assist at the festival of its patroness. The mangoes and grapes of this island are highly praised. There are also several very fine salt-pits. The channel which separates it from the continent is narrow and deep. At the northern entrance, called Catuama, there is commodious anchorage for ships in front of the mouth of the river Massaranduba.