The Journal kept by the English Fleet that came hither under the Command of Captain James Lancaster, Anno 1595. makes mention of a Fort which lay at the Mouth of the Haven before Reciffa, which the English valiantly Storm’d, notwithstanding six hundred Men and seven Brass Guns might easily have made it invincible: But they conquering the same, march’d up to Olinda, took the Suburb, consisting of a hundred Houses, without any resistance, as also a great Booty, and the greater, because the Goods of a rich Carak which had some few days before suffer’d Shipwrack, were kept there; they also took fifteen laden Ships, and for thirty days kept the whole Countrey about Olinda restless with continual Alarms. Since this Invasion the Portuguese built a third Fort on Reciffa, so that the Ships must pass in between two Forts, where the Channel is also full of Rocks, and consequently the more dangerous.
From Reciffa the Goods are sent in Barques or Lighters to Olinda, between which and St. Salvador run the two great Rivers Francisco and Real, the first whereof retains its freshness twenty Leagues into the Ocean.
Along the River Popitinga stand many Sugar-Mills; and five Leagues farther Northward beyond Olinda the Portuguese inhabit these Villages, viz. Garasu, Reciffa, Moribeca, Antonio de Cabo, Miguel de Poyuca, Gonsalvo de Una, Povacon de Porto Calvo, Alagoa del Nort, and Alagoa del Zur, besides other Brasilian Hamlets, and above seventy Sugar-Mills.
The nature of the Soil in Pernambuco.
The County of Pernambuco hath for the most part a good Soil, several Plains, low Hills, and fruitful Valleys, abounding with fair Canes, which also grow on the Mountains Masurepe, Zebaatan, Poyuca, and Moribeque.
The Wilds of El Gran Matto, afford the best Wood, with which they drive the greatest Trade in the Village Laurenzo. Whilest Matthias Albuquerque Intrench’d himself a League and a half Westward from Olinda, by the Sugar-Mills belonging to Francisco Montero, with a hundred Portuguese, and three times as many Armed Brasilians, Loncque finding that he could not long keep the City Olinda against the Enemy, caus’d the same to be pull’d down and burnt.
Sergippo del Rey.
Between the Rivers Francisco and Real, lies the Town Sergippo del Rey, up in the Countrey near a small Rivulet, which at Spring-Tydes hath fourteen Foot Water. The Woods round about feed wild Cattel, and the Mountains contain Mines of Gold and Silver.
The first Plantation in Brasile was in the Island Itamaraca, three Leagues long and two broad, but extends its Jurisdiction along the Main Coast, from which it is separated by a narrow River, which runs betwixt both thirty five Leagues. The Countrey is eminent for twenty Sugar-Mills, and abundance of Brasile Wood.
Villa de Conception.