A history of the Brazil

by James Henderson

Two leagues north of Iguarassu, on the Goyanna road, is the considerable village of Pasmado, inhabited by whites, in great part locksmiths.

Pau d’Alho, situated upon the right bank of the Capibaribe, and thirty-five miles from the capital, was created a town in 1812, has a church dedicated to the Holy Spirit, a hermitage of Our Lady of Rozario, and a market every eight days.

Limoeiro, also created a town in 1812, is upon the margin of the Capibaribe, about thirty miles above Pau d’Alho, and has a church, dedicated to Our Lady of Expectaçao, and a market every week. Cotton constitutes the wealth of its inhabitants. Whilst I remained at Pernambuco, an English gentleman proceeded to this town for the purpose of establishing a machine for dressing cotton, in which, I understand, he has been very successful.

Serenhen, founded in 1627 with the name of Villa Formoza, situated on an eminence upon the margin and seven miles above the mouth of the river from which it borrows the name, is small, and has a church, dedicated to Our Lady of Conceiçao, two hermitages, and a convent of Franciscans. Its environs are remarkable for fertility, abounding with water and rich plantations of cane.

St. Antonio, so called after the patron of its church, is nine miles north-west of Cape St. Augustin, near the margin of the Parapamba, and has two hermitages, one of St. Braz, the other of Our Lady of Rozario. It was erected into a town in 1812.

St. Antao, situated near the small river Tapacora, and created a town in 1812, has a church dedicated to the same saint, and two chapels of Rozario and Livramento, and a market every week. It produces much cotton.

Amongst other places and considerable parishes in this comarca, is to be remarked the Ipojuca, upon the margin of the river from which it derives its name, two leagues distant from the sea, with a church of St. Miguel, and a convent of Franciscans.

Muribeca, with a church of Nossa Senhora of Rozario, a hermitage of the same name, and another of Livramento, is situated between the Recife and Cape St. Augustin, about three miles from the sea. Sugar is the produce of both these places.

Porto Calvo, a middling town with some commerce, and a church of Our Lady of Aprezentaçao, is situated upon the margin of the river, from which it takes the name, and twenty miles from the sea. Bom Successo was its first name; to its haven formerly smacks arrived with the tide. It is the native place of the mulatto Calabar, who, passing over to the Dutch in 1632, was to them a great acquisition, and to the Pernambucans a great injury; until he was delivered to the latter, as a reward for their services, in order that he might receive the chastisement due to his perfidy. At the taking of this town, a nephew of the Dutch general, Count Nassau lost his life, and the celebrated Preto Henrique Dias part of an arm. The latter afterwards distinguished himself in the battle of the mountains of Gararappes.

Alagoas, so called from having its site upon a southern portion of the lake Manguaba, created with the name of Magdalen, is considerable, head of the comarca of its name, and the ordinary residence of the ouvidor, who is also inspector of the woods of the royal marine. It has a church of Nossa Senhora of Conceiçao, a convent of Franciscans, another of slippered Carmelites, two orders of devout women, three chapels, with the titles of Amparo, Rozario, and Bom Fim, and a royal professorship of Latin. At all times it is well supplied with fish; and abounds in the jaca and orange tree. In the beginning of last century was exported from the district of this town, two thousand five hundred rolls of tobacco, of eight arrobas each, and of such good quality, that it was bought at fifty per cent. dearer than the same article from Bahia. Sugar is at the present day the riches of its inhabitants. A custom-house has been recently established within its jurisdiction, in consequence of the considerable increase in the commerce of this comarca.