Villa da Princeza, so created in 1809, is situated upon the northern coast of the island of St. Sebastian, near the chapel of Nossa Senhora of Luz, which for the present serves as its mother church, as well as for all the inhabitants of the island. This island is appropriated to the culture of the sugar-cane and tobacco, which are esteemed the best of the province, and their exportation is considerable. On the eastern part of the island there is an armaçao for whale fishing.
Ubatuba, a small town, with a church, and a chapel of the Lady of Conceiçao, is situated near the mouth of an inconsiderable stream, on the verge of a fertile plain, irrigated by various torrents. Its inhabitants are fishermen, and cultivators of mandioca, rice, and coffee. It is nearly thirty miles to the north-east of the town of St. Sebastian, and near the boundary of the province. Between this town and the afore-mentioned arraial of Bairro, is the bay of Flamengos, also that of Inquiriquere, both of which are capable of receiving many ships. Into the latter, which is the most westerly, the river of the same name discharges itself, and affords a disembarrassed navigation for only three miles.
Paranahiba, an inconsiderable town, is situated upon the left margin of the river Tiete, about twenty miles distant in a westerly direction from St. Paulo. It has a church, and an hospicio of Bento Friars; and its inhabitants, with those of the adjacent districts, breed large cattle, and raise a diversity of the necessaries of life.
Mugi das Cruzes is a considerable town, abundantly supplied with the necessaries of life, and enjoys a good situation, about two miles from the Tiete, thirty-five east-north-east of St. Paulo, and forty north of Santos. It has a church, dedicated to St. Anna, a convent of shod Carmelites, a hermitage of Bom Jesus, and a Terceira order of Carmo. The houses are of taipa. The inhabitants breed cattle, and form extensive plantations of the coffee tree, the produce of which, with some rum, constitutes their wealth.
Near thirty miles to the north-east of Mugi das Cruzes, the small town of Jacarehi is situated, upon the right margin of the river Parahiba, with a church. The passage across the river here is much frequented.
The town of St. Joze is ten miles to the north of Jacarehi, takes the name of the patron of its church, and is situated near the Parahiba, upon land which constituted part of a fazenda of the Jesuits, its founders.
Thaubate is one of the most considerable and best situated towns of the province. It is upwards of one hundred miles to the north-east of St. Paulo, seventy from Mugi das Cruzes, forty from Jacarehi, and three from the Parahiba, near a small stream. Besides the church dedicated to St. Francisco, it has a convent of the same saint, a Terceira order, and the chapels of the Lady of Pilar and Rosario. Almost all the houses are of taipa, and few with one story. Its inhabitants, whose ancestors were antagonists of the Piratiningans of St. Paulo, cultivate the necessaries of life and tobacco, raise pigs and poultry in considerable quantities, and sugar cane in small plantations. They manufacture handsome mats and hand-baskets, which are sent to different parts. Near the embouchure of a small river, and close upon the margin of the Parahiba, is the inconsiderable arraial of Tremembe, with a chapel of Bom Jesus. At the distance of from ten to fourteen miles is the parish of Cassapaba, a new dismemberment of the preceding town.
Pindamonhangaba, a town in a state of mediocrity, is well supplied, particularly with fish, and advantageously situated in a plain, on the right margin of the Parahiba. It possesses a church of the Lady of Bom Successo, and a hermitage of St. Joze. It is more than ten miles to the north-north-east of Thaubate; and its inhabitants, who are considered prudent and industrious, cultivate every article of subsistence peculiar to the country, and breed large cattle.
Guaratingueta, situated upon the right bank of the Parahiba, which affords it an ample supply of fish, is a considerable town, about twenty-five miles to the east of Pindamonhangaba, embellished with a large church, dedicated to St. Antonio, a chapel of the Lady of Rosario, and another of St. Gonçalo. The houses, similar to those of St. Paulo and other places, are constructed of taipa. Its inhabitants cultivate much tobacco, and breed hogs and large cattle. Cotton cloths and sugar are the principal branches of commerce. About two miles distant from it is the famous and much visited chapel of the Lady of Apparecida.
Lorena, a middling town, upon the right margin of the Parahiba, ten miles east of Guaratingueta and seven above the mouths of the Imbauhi, which flows from the Mantiqueira mountains, and of the Bocaina, which comes from the south, is situated at the passage to Minas Geraes denominated Porto do Meyra, and has a church called Piedade: Guaipicure was its primitive name.