The northern division of this province comprehends the following towns, viz.:— In the comarca of St. Paulo:

In the comarca of Hitu:

St. Paulo is a city in a state of mediocrity, but agreeably seated upon land somewhat elevated at the angle of the confluence of the Tamandatahi, with the Hynhangabahu, which washes it on the western side, and the former on the eastern. It is nearly two miles from the Tiete, which passes to the north, forty miles north-west from Santos, which is its port; seven miles to the south of the Tropic; and three hundred and fifty fathoms above the level of the ocean. It is ornamented with a house of Misericordia, various hermitages, and three hospitals; a convent of Benedictines, another of Franciscans, a third of slippered Carmelites, two recolhimentos for women, a house of permutation, various open spaces or squares, three good bridges of stone, with others of wood, and divers fountains; however, the best water is afforded by the rivers. Some streets are well paved. The edifices are generally formed of what is termed taipa, which consists of twofold wooden planks, constituting the frame, filled in with earth, and white-washed. This city is the residence of the governor of the province, and the ouvidor of the comarca, or district, who fulfils also the duties of crown judge, &c. There is a Juiz de Fora, who also executes the functions of an Attorney General, auditor of the military, and deputy to the junta of the treasury. It has some masters, who have the high-sounding denomination of royal professors of the primitive letters, Latin, rhetoric, philosophy, dogmatical theology, and morality. The inhabitants, in number from thirty-five to forty thousand, are divided between two parishes, one being of the cathedral, the chapter of which consists of fourteen canons, including four dignitaries of archdeacon, archpriest, chanter, and treasurer-mor. The other has a church called Santa Efigenia. The Jesuits commenced this city, in the year 1552, with the foundation of a college, in which they celebrated the first mass on the day of the conversion of the apostle with whose name it was consecrated in 1554, and which afforded the subsequent name of St. Paulo to the town and province. This structure now constitutes the palace of the governor. Senhor Joao Carlos de Oainansen at present fills that situation. Six years after the first establishment of the Jesuits here, St. Paulo acquired the denomination of a town. Its first inhabitants were a horde of Guayana Indians, with their cacique or chief called Tebireca, who lived in the aldeia of Piratinin, near the small river of the same name, not far from the new colony, which, in consequence, took the appellation of St. Paulo de Piratininga, and retained it till the year 1712, when it was dignified with the title of city, and in 1746 was further honoured by being made the seat of a bishopric. The Indians were soon augmented by a great number of Europeans, whom they called Emboabas, in consequence of their legs being covered, and which conveyed to the minds of the Indians a resemblance of certain birds with feathered legs so called by them. The alliances of the new settlers, with the Indians, soon produced a third class of people, to whom they gave the name of Mamelucos, with which the establishment received a considerable increase; and the city at this day comprises upwards of four thousand houses, with the number of inhabitants previously mentioned, one half of which are computed to be whites. The salubrity of the climate, and the abundance and moderate value of all the necessaries of life, give it the decided preference for the foundation of an university, if the views of the government become enlightened enough to promote such an establishment in the Brazil. The body, and consequently the mind, of the student would here have more vigour for literary application, than in the warmer or more northern climates of this region, and books or libraries would receive less damage from the destructive prey of insects. St. Paulo is considered a most healthy situation; and I have known the valetudinarian of Rio de Janeiro, contemplate a change to its moderate and invigorating climate, as exceedingly desirable. There are a great number of quintas or shacaras in its suburbs. Among the fruit trees which embellish them, the jabuticaba is not rare, affording a fine and excellent fruit. The oranges are not of good quality, and the tree sustains considerable injury in years of much frost. The same may be said of the coffee and banana trees, as well as of mandioca and the sugar cane.

Santos, considerable, populous, commercial, and advantageously situated upon the northern side of the island of St. Vincente, was erected into a town in 1545, and possesses a house of Misericordia, which is the most ancient of the Brazil, a Franciscan convent, an hospicio (or entertaining house) of Bentos, another of slippered Carmelites, and various chapels; the ex-Jesuitical college of St. Miguel, after being much dilapidated, was renovated for the military hospital. A Juiz de Fora presides over the senate. The houses are solid and of stone; and the female part of their inmates are celebrated for making excellent lace. This town was sacked by the Dutch, and upon another occasion by the English. Its port, the entrance to which is defended by various forts, is capable of receiving large ships, and it is the depositary of much sugar, rum, coarse cottons, coffee, hides, and bacon, which articles constitute its exports. The produce of rice and coffee are alone abundant. The winter is always a very rainy season.

Seven miles to the south-west, on the southern coast of the same island, upon the entrance of the bar of its name, is situated St. Vincente, the most ancient town of the province, in former times flourishing and famous, but now sunk into insignificance, in consequence of Santos being better adapted for commerce, to which it has removed from this town. Its inhabitants are mostly fishermen.

Fifteen miles to the west of Santos is the small arraial of Cubatam, upon the northern margin of the river which affords its name, and from which it sustains great damage at the period of the greatest floods. Every thing that descends from the serra above, and destined for the town, is here embarked. A project of uniting this island with the terra-firma has been proposed by means of a calcada, or paved way, across the channel of St. Vincente, which, if carried into effect, will prevent many shipwrecks. At the bar of Bertioga there is an armaçao, or establishment for whale fishing.

Itanhaen, a small place, erected into a town in 1561, possesses a Franciscan convent, and is situated near a mount, upon the northern margin of the bay from which it borrows its name, and which it frequently exchanges for that of the Lady of Conceiçao, the patroness of its church. Farinha, rice, and timber are exported from hence.

The town of St. Sebastian, so called from the patron of its church, is yet inconsiderable, with indifferent houses, and streets of sand. It is seated upon the straight of Toque-Toque, in front of the island of its name, near the embouchure of a small river, and at the commencement of a fertile plain, where agriculture might be rendered flourishing in all its branches, and which was for many years almost abandoned, in consequence of the farmers being prohibited from exporting their productions to those places where they would have derived the greatest advantage from them. About three miles to the east, in an agreeable situation, there is a Franciscan convent, and near to it an arraial, denominated Bairro. The women are occupied in potteries, the men in fishing, and in the culture of various necessaries of life.