A history of the Brazil

by James Henderson

On Stone by C. Shoosmith from a Sketch by Jas. Henderson.

Printed by C. Hullmandel.

A PAULISTA AND A BRAZILIAN MENDICANT.

Paranagua is a town of some note, built of stone, and previously to the year 1812 was the head of the comarca. It has three hermitages, and a church of the Lady of Rosario. Its situation, unhealthy, and presenting nothing agreeable to the view, is ten miles distant from the sea, upon the southern bank of the bay from which it borrows the name, and in front of the western point of the island of Cotinga. It has a permutation or smelting house, a Juiz de Fora, and a professor of Latin. The Jesuits had a college here, which has, since their expulsion, been repaired at the cost of the treasury. Farinha, rice, coffee, and other articles, with wheat, which is brought from Curytiba, are its exports.

Guaratuba, (the real name of which is Villa Nova de St. Luiz,) situated near a morro, upon the right margin of the southern arm of the river Guaratuba, in front of the island of Guarazes, and seven miles from the sea, is yet small, but stands advantageously for becoming more considerable. It exports various necessaries of life.

Antonio enjoys an agreeable, and healthy situation, ten miles west of the town of Paranagua, at the extremity of a bay, on a peninsula, and in front of the embouchures of the Cachoeira and Nhundiaquara. It was created a town in 1800. The mother church, deemed an embellishment, is denominated Our Lady of Pilar. Its vicinity can boast of considerable plantations of mandioca, the farinha of which root is exported, as well as timber and cords of imbe. In its district is the aldeia of Morrete, near a river, up which canoes advance to take in the productions cultivated within its boundaries, and those conveyed hither from Curytiba upon the backs of mules.

Cannanea, an inconsiderable town, and pleasantly situated upon a small island, about ten miles within the bar of its name, and only separated from the continent by a narrow strait, has a church dedicated to St. Joao Baptista. Its inhabitants are agriculturists and fishermen; rice is the principal article exported. At the entrance of the bar of Cannanea, on the side of the continent, there is a stone of European marble, with the royal arms of Portugal; and, although much defaced, is ascertained to have been erected there in the year 1503.

Twenty miles south-west of Cannanea, is the aldeia of Ararapira, in former times a villota of Christianized Indians, with its church dedicated to St. Joze da Marinha, situated upon an arm of the lake or bay of Cannanea, which prolongs itself between the General Cordillera and another contiguous to the ocean.

Twenty-eight miles (or forty, following the winding of the lake) to the north-east of the town of Cannanea, is the considerable town of Iguape, situated pleasantly at the extremity of the lake, and a little removed from the right margin of the river Assunguy, which is generally designated by the name of the town. It formerly had a house of permutation, and has a celebrated church dedicated to the Lady of Neves. The exportation of rice from hence is considerable.