In the same year John IV. gave part of this province to Manuel Jurdao, who perished by shipwreck at the point of disembarkation, and in consequence of whose death the country reverted to the crown. This province had for some time the title of countship, created in 1689, in favour of Lopo Furtado de Mendonca. It is confined on the north and east by the ocean, on the south by the province of Parahiba, and on the west by that of Siara, from which it is separated by the serra of Appody, which is about a league to the west of the river so called. It lies between 4° 10′ and 6° 15′ south latitude; the days and nights differ very little in length all the year. The climate is hot and healthy. The winter, commonly not abundant in rain, continues from April to June in the eastern part; in the western scarcely any other rains fall, but those which accompany thunder, beginning usually in January or February. It comprises one hundred and seventy miles from east to west, in the greatest width, and one hundred from north to south, on the western side. The face of the country is generally uneven, and presents some mountains of considerable altitude, and also woods, but they are rare, and of no great extent, the greatest portion consisting of parched catingas. Notwithstanding the soil in various parts is adapted to the plantation of the cane, its culture was never considerable, and it gradually diminishes; cotton being substituted for it almost in all parts, with less expense and equal profit to the planter. Mandioca, Indian corn, legumes, and hortulans of the country, are generally cultivated, as well as some rice and tobacco in sufficient quantity for the population.
Negroes are not numerous in this province; the Indians, who were very ferocious, have all been reduced many years, and their descendants, through the medium of alliances with the Europeans and Africans, have augmented the classes of whites and mulattoes, who for the most part indulge in idleness, and improperly deem it a degradation to apply their personal labour, with instruments of agriculture, for the improvement of their country.
Capes and Ports.—Cape St. Roque forms the angle of this region to the north-east.
Point Pipa took its name from a stone, in a degree resembling a tunnel, caused by the sea continually beating against it. A little to the south of this point there are four abundant fountains of soft water upon the beach.
Point Negra is seven miles to the north of the preceding, and almost as far south of the river Tareyri.
Point Petetinga, Point Toiro, Point Tres Irmaos, Point Tubarao, between the rivers Aguamare and the Amargoso, and Point Mel, which is between the Appody and the Conchas, are all upon the northern coast of the province. It has neither ports nor bays capable of receiving a squadron of ships of much burden; there is, however, the Bay Formoza upon the eastern coast, with seven miles of mouth, three of bay, and four fathoms in depth at low water, but it is overspread with stones and unsheltered.
Mineralogy.—It has gold, minerals of iron and silver, flint stones, calcareous stone, granite, amethysts, crystals, and argils of various colours and quality.
Mountains.—The serra Estrella is in nothing comparable with that of the same name in the province of Beyra.
The serra St. Cosme, with a hermitage, St. Domingos, St. Joze, Camelo, with eighteen miles of length, and Pannaty, at the heads of the Pinhanco; Bonito, from whence a small torrent descends, denominated Aguaboa, (Good Water;) Camara, Pattu, with a hermitage of the Lady of Impossibilities, and in its skirts another of the Lady of Griefs; Luiz Gomez, covered with large woods, and where the best necessaries of life and cotton are raised; that of Cabello-naotem, so called in consequence of being entirely bare, having gold; Regente, now called Portalegre, since a town of that name was founded upon it; Campo Grande in the vicinity of the preceding, and whose inhabitants belong to the parish of Pau dos Ferros, two miles distant; Martins, which has ten miles of length, and a hermitage on the summit, near a lake, that overflows its margins with the thunder showers. It is affirmed, that at the end of the last century there was already upon the serra four thousand persons belonging to the communion. Serra Borborema is in the eastern part of the province.
Zoology.—Cattle are bred, and some mules; also sheep and goats. Hogs are not so numerous as in the adjacent provinces. In the woods the same quadrupeds are met with as in the surrounding districts. The emu ostrich, seriema, guiraponga, tucano, zabele, torquaze-pigeon, and parrot, are well known; also the beija-flor, or humming bird, sabia, cardal, canary, cabore, carrica, and papeyro. On the margins of the rivers and lakes are the heron, jaburu, colhereira, galleiroe, socco, and various sorts of the macarico. The jucurutu and the macauhan are destroyers of snakes.