Dec. 1. Yesterday at two in the Afternoon we weigh’d again, with a Breeze at N E. but at five a Gale came up at S S W. and blew very strong with Rain, insomuch that we were forc’d to bear away, and come to an Anchor close under the Island of Grande, in fourteen Fathom Water. It rain’d hard all night, but towards morning little Wind. About ten this morning we weigh’d Anchor, and steer’d away S W. At twelve it was calm, and we anchor’d again. Just before we anchor’d, we spy’d a small Vessel close under the Shore, near the West-end of Grande. We sent our Boat to examine her, and found it to be the same Brigantine our Boats were aboard of six days before, and from whence I had the Present. I gave the Master an Half-hour Glass, and other small things of little Value, for which he was very thankful.
Dec. 2. I wrote a long Letter to my Owners, which Captain Dover and Captain Courtney also underwrote, and gave it the Master of this Brigantine, who promis’d to forward it by the first Conveyance for Portugal; so that now I had sent by four Conveyances. At ten this morning we sail’d, Wind at W N W. row’d and tow’d till twelve, and came to an Anchor to the Southward of Grande, our Men continuing healthy.
Description of Grande.
Dec. 3. Yesterday in the afternoon we sail’d with a brisk Gale of Wind at E by N. At six a clock in the Evening, the S W Point of Grande bore W N W. distant five Leagues. The small Three-Hummock Island without Grande, which is seen as you go in both ways to it, bore N E 1/2 N. dist. 5 Ls. the Westermost Point of the Main bore W by S. dist. 9 Ls. from whence we departed for the Island of Juan Fernandez. The rest of these 24 hours a good Gale from E by N. to the E S E. This I observ’d when we came from Cape Frio to Grande, more than I have yet noted: About 13 Leagues to the Eastward of the Isle of Grande is a high round Rock, a good League without the Land, as it appear’d to us; within it is high mountainous Land, which we are inform’d is the Entrance to Rio-Janeiro: and as we came to the Westward, we open’d a sandy Bay with low sandy Land in the middle, and high Land on each side clear to the Points; it’s about 3 Leagues over, and deep. Next to this Bay, as we came to the Westward, open’d another low sandy Bay, not quite so deep, but above twice as wide. The Westermost Point is indifferent high, and full of Trees, which makes the Eastermost Point as we enter’d Grande; from whence it runs in West and Northerly about 4 Ls. There is no such Bay to the Eastward as Rio-Janeiro between that and Cape Frio. This is a certain Mark not to miss Grande, which might easily be done by a Stranger, the Latitude being near the same for 40 Leagues within Cape Frio; but Grande lies out near two Points farther Southerly, as you come to it from the Eastward, than any other Land between that and Cape Frio. We kept but an indifferent Account of the Ship’s Way from Cape Frio, being nothing but fluttering Weather; but the Portuguese Master told me it is not less than 34 Ls. We kept continual Soundings, and had always Ground from one League to ten off the Shore, from 20 to 50 Fathom Water: Very even and gradual Soundings, with soft blue clayish Sand, till we got the Length of Grande; then we had harder Ground, mix’d with small Stones and red Sand. The Shore runs hither nearest West.
The Island Grande is remarkable high Land, with a small Notch, and a Tip standing up on one side in the middle of the highest Land, easy to be seen if clear; and there’s a small Island to the Southward without it, which rises in three little Hummocks; the nearest Hummock to the Island Grande is the least. As we came in and out, we saw it, and it appears alike on both sides: there is also a remarkable round white Rock that lies on the Larboard side nearest to Grande, between it and the Main at the Entrance going in. On the Starboard side there are several Islands, and the Main is much like Islands, till you get well in. The best way, when you open the Coves that are inhabited on the Starboard side going in, is to get a Pilot to carry you to the watering Cove within Grande; otherwise send in a Boat to the fresh-water Cove, which lies round the inner Westermost Point of the Island, and near a League in: the Passage is between small Islands, but room enough and bold; it’s the second Cove under the first high Mount and round, behind the first Point you see when you are in between the two Islands. This is the Cove where we water’d. There are two other Coves very good, with some Shoal-Banks between them, but no Shoal-Ground before we come to this Cove. We sounded all the Passage in, and seldom found less than ten Fathom Water, but had not time to know or sound the rest of the Coves. The Town bears N E. about 3 Ls. dist. from this Cove. The Island of Grande is near about 9 Ls. long high Land, and so is the Main within it. All you see near the Water-side is thick covered with Wood. The Island abounds with Monkeys and other wild Beasts, has plenty of good Timber, Fire-wood, and excellent Water, with Oranges and Lemons, and Guavas growing wild in the Woods. The Necessaries we got from the Town were Rum, Sugar, and Tobacco, which they sell very dear, tho not good to smoke, ’tis so very strong. We had also Fowls and Hogs, but the latter are scarce; Beef and Mutton are cheap, but no great quantity to be had; Indian Corn, Bonanoes, Plantanes, Guavas, Lemons, Oranges, and Pine-Apples they abound with; but have no Bread except Cassado (the same sort as is eaten in our West-Indies) which they call Farana depau, i.e. Bread of Wood. They have no kind of Salleting. We had fine pleasant Weather most of the time we were here, but hot like an Oven, the Sun being right over us. The Winds we did not much observe, because they were little and veerable; but commonly between the North and the East.
We clear’d an ordinary Portuguese here, call’d Emanuel de Santo, and shipt another, whose Name was Emanuel Gonsalves.
I had Newhoff’s[99] Account of Brazile on board, and by all the Enquiry and Observation I could make, found his Description of the Country, its Product and Animals, to be just; particularly of that Monster call’d Liboya, or the Roebuck-Serpent, which I enquir’d after, thinking it incredible till the Portuguese Governour told me there are some of them 30 foot long, as big as a Barrel, and devour a Roebuck at once, from whence they had their name. I was also told that one of these Serpents was kill’d near this place a little before our Arrival. Tygers are very plenty here on the Continent, but not so ravenous as those in India.
The Product of Brazile is well known to be Red Wood, Sugars, Gold, Tobacco, Whale-Oil, Snuff, and several sorts of Drugs. The Portuguese build their best Ships here: The Country is now become very populous, and the People delight much in Arms, especially about the Gold Mines, where those of all sorts resort, but mostly Negroes and Molattoes. ’Tis Account of Brazile. but four years since they would be under no Government, but now they have submitted: some Men of Repute here told me the Mines increase very fast, and that Gold is got much easier at these Mines than in any other Country.
This is all I can affirm from my own Observation concerning this Country, which was discover’d first by the famous Americus Vespucius, Anno 1500. when he call’d it Santa Cruz; but the Portuguese afterwards nam’d it Brazile, from the red Wood of that name which grows here. It’s situate in the Torrid Zone, and extends from the Equinoctial to the Lat. of 28 South. The Extent from East to West is uncertain, therefore I can determine nothing concerning it. The Portuguese divide it into fourteen Districts or Captainships, six of which, being the Northern part, were subdu’d by the Dutch about the Year 1637. and a Peace concluded, allowing it to be call’d Dutch Brazile, which extended from North to South about 180 Leagues: And since it is not usual for the Dutch to lose their Settlements abroad, it mayn’t be amiss to give a brief Account how they were outed of this profitable Country. In 1643 the Face of the Dutch Affairs there began to alter for the worse, the Magazines of their West-India Company were exhausted by several Expeditions against Angola, &c. and receiving no Supplies from Holland as usual, the great Council at the Receife, their Capital in Brazile, was forc’d to make use of what was due to the Company, for paying the Garisons and Civil Officers, and by consequence to force their conquer’d Debtors the Portuguese to prompt Payment. This oblig’d the Debtors to borrow Mony at 3 or 4 per Cnt. per Month, which impoverished them so in a little time, that they were neither able to pay Principal nor Interest. The Portuguese immers’d themselves in Debt to the Company, because of their hopes that the Fleets coming from Portugal would quickly subdue the Dutch, and pay off all scores. Besides, there happen’d a great Mortality among the Portuguese Negroes, which they purchas’d from the Dutch at 300 Pieces of Eight per head. This compleated their Ruin; which, together with their Hatred to the Dutch on account of Religion, made them resolve on a general Revolt.
The Dutch at the same time were engag’d in a War with Spain at home, and Count Maurice,[100] who was Governour of Dutch Brazile, was recall’d just in the height of the Plot. The Dutch had several Discoveries of it, and an account of Portuguese Commissions, importing that this Revolt was undertaken for the Honour of God, the Propagation of the Roman Faith, the Service of the King, and common Liberty. They complain’d of this to the Portuguese Government in Brazile, who told them they would cultivate a good Correspondence with them, according to the Orders of the King their Master; and wrote so to the Dutch Council, yet still carry’d on the Conspiracy, till at last the Rebellion broke out. The Dutch renew’d their Complaints, but the Portuguese Government deny’d their having any hand in it, till in 1645 they openly invaded the Dutch, on pretence at first of appeasing the Revolts of the Portuguese in the Dutch Provinces, according to the Tenour of the Peace; but afterwards when they had got footing, they alledg’d the Dutch had murder’d many of the Portuguese in cool Blood; and then carry’d on the War till 1660, when the Dutch were forc’d to abandon Brazile in the following Conditions: That the Crown of Portugal should pay the States Eight hundred thousand Pounds in Mony or Goods, and that the Places taken on each side in the East-Indies should remain to the present Possessors; and that a free Trade should be allow’d the Dutch in Portugal, and at their Settlements in Africa and Brazile, without paying any more Custom than the Portuguese. But other Agreements have been since made between the two States, and the Portuguese remain in full possession of this fine Country, without allowing the Dutch to trade to it. This they fancy makes them sufficient amends for the Loss of their large Conquests in India, taken from them by the Dutch East-India Company; the Portuguese being now the least Traders thither, after enjoying the whole East-India Trade for above one hundred Years.