The lake Feia consists of two unequal parts, united by a narrow channel. The one lies to the north, near twenty miles in length from east to west, and upwards of twelve in width; the other to the south, sixteen miles in length, and only two in width. It is an interesting lake, abounds with fish, and so inconsiderable in depth, that canoes can only proceed by certain channels. The water is fresh and wholesome. It has within its precincts a considerable peninsula, upon the isthmus of which is situated the church of the parish of the Lady of Remedios, and presenting a delightful aspect. The margins of this lake are marshy, and it discharges itself by various channels, which, describing extensive circuits, form many islands, and without which, none of those channels would have made their way to the ocean, in consequence of an extensive, high, and solid sand-bank, formed by the sea. All the channels re-unite at divers points, and form another lake, many leagues in length, with the width of a spacious river, stretching, for its whole extent, along the said sand-bank; across a certain part of which it opens annually an outlet, that presents the appearance of a considerable and furious river, called Furado, at the time the internal receptacles are overflown. The southern or principal of these channels is called Iguassu, or the river Castanheta. This district might be cleared from water, by the introduction of some hydraulic machines, (as in some parts of Lincolnshire), when the grounds would afford pasturage, and become susceptible of cultivation at all times.
Three leagues to the north of the river Maccahé, is situated the lake Carapebas, about four miles in length from east to west, of unequal and inconsiderable width, separated from the ocean by a sand-bank, which it breaks down in the rainy season, in some parts, for the egress of the waters. It is well stored with a variety of fish. Near the right margin of the Parahiba, between the towns of St. Salvador, and St. Joam, are the two Jahi lakes; also the Sequarema; the Campelo, upon the north side of the Parahiba, almost in front of the town of St. Joam; and the Pedras, which is a deep lake, having its channel of discharge denominated the Corrego do Jacare, between the town of St. Salvador and the mouth of the river Muriahe. Lake Cima is five miles long, and more than sixteen hundred fathoms at its greatest width, comprehending the gulf called Pernambuca.
The fine campos, or plains, of this district would certainly become the Elysium of Brazil, if its territory, rich in soil, were divided into certain portions and delivered to a people animated with a spirit of agricultural improvement. But the same unfortunate circumstances which we have previously described to exist in the donation of lands, concur, unhappily, to place those campos, at least the greater part, in the hands of three proprietors; namely, the Benedictine monastery of Rio de Janeiro, the purchaser of the ex-Jesuitical possessions, and a titular.
St. Salvador, or Campos, is a large, populous, and flourishing town, situated upon a plain on the right margin of the Parahiba, eighteen miles distant from the ocean, and four below the mouth of the Muriahe. Besides the mother church, it has a house of misericordia, three hermitages dedicated to the Lady of Rosario, Boa Morte, and Lapa; also two Terceira orders of St. Francisco and Carmo, and a hospital. The youth of this place are instructed by persons having the usual high sounding titles of royal professors of the primitive letters and Latin. Justice is administered by a head magistrate, denominated a Juiz de Fora,[17] (a judge without.) An account recently taken of the population of this town states it to contain eleven hundred and fifty families, which may be fairly computed to comprise twelve thousand souls.
The town of St. Joam da Parahiba derives the name from its church and the river upon which it is situated, and is distant about two miles from the sea, in front of the extremity of a small island. Sugar constitutes the riches of its inhabitants, who do not exceed fifteen hundred; and it is the port from whence the principal produce of the Campos, consisting of that article, is shipped in coasting vessels to the capital.
Eight miles up the Maccahé is situated the parish of the Lady of Neves, which originated in an establishment of a tribe of Garulho Indians, but now almost extinct, and succeeded by whites, who fell timber and are farmers of the same necessaries of life as their predecessors.
Upon the Parahiba, between the town of St. Salvador and the mouth of the river Muriahe, the parish of St. Antonio occupies a delightful situation. It was founded for the habitation of a horde of Indian Garulhos, who have insensibly disappeared. Its district is extensive, and abounds with sugar-works.
Thirty miles above the town of St. Salvador, and two below the last fall of the Parahiba, the aldeia or village of St. Fidelis, is agreeably and secludedly situated. It is an Indian parish, and was founded by three padres, one of whom, two years ago, was still living, and had the whole management of this establishment. A French gentleman, who was shipwrecked at the mouth of the Parahiba, proceeded through the Campos as far as this Indian village. He informed me, that, on leaving the plains cultivated with the plantations of the sugar-cane, he had to traverse a thick wood, rendered more difficult to penetrate by the wild grass and almost impervious underwood at the bottom of the higher trees. After a laborious march of five hours, this gentleman reached the aldeia, which consisted of a stone church, decorated with saints and much finery. It was fronted by the padre’s house at no great distance; both sides of this space were occupied by the huts of the Indians, over whom, from the imposing show of religious ceremony, and occasional personal chastisement, the padre had acquired a perfect command. Part of the Indians were employed in his house for domestic purposes; others in the cultivation of the necessaries of life; some were occupied in fishing in the Parahiba; and others, of proved fidelity, in shooting game in the surrounding woods; and thus subsistence was procured for the establishment. The domestic arrangement, however, of this priest was truly miserable.
The savage Indians frequently carry off by force some of their Christianized brethren, and display an inveterate antipathy to civilization. The tribes on the northern bank of the Parahiba, bordering upon the Portuguese establishments, are considered much more cruel than those on the southern, and have afforded various and recent proofs of cannibalism. On some occasions they lie in ambush near pathways, and, with their arrows, pierce the stranger to the heart, and feast upon his body. A proprietor of a sugar-work was carried off about three years ago, and devoured by them; and since that time three or four negroes have shared the same fate. They are addicted to plunder, and commit at times great devastation amongst the sugar-plantations, advancing in bodies of fifty or sixty from the woods, and cutting down the canes, which they carry off to their retreats. They are great cowards; and, on those appointed to keep watch giving the alarm of the approach of a single individual, they fly precipitately. They are exceedingly alarmed at the report of a gun. Two soldiers, equipped with jackets, stuffed with cotton and quilted, (which are almost impenetrable to the arrows of the Indian,) and with muskets, very recently proceeded from Villa Rica, (in Minas Geraes,) and penetrated as far as this district, through the woods covering the fertile territory on both banks of the Parahiba, to the possession of which the ounce assumes a right as well as the savage.
Of the ancient tribes the Puris is the principal one now remaining in those uncleared regions. It is a lamentable circumstance that the Brazilian government does not adopt some effectual plan to render these extensive and fertile territories of the Parahiba subservient to the wants of civilized man. The absence of comfort in the houses of the planters in the Goytacaze district is very conspicuous, and they have yet much to learn in the school of hospitality.