Brazil

Sources from old books

1682. Cosmography and geography in two parts by Richard Blome

BRAZILE is most commonly taken for the most Eastern part of America Meridionalis. In 1501 Alvarez Cabral a Portugal sailing along the Coast of Africa, in his passage to the East Indies, by a great Tempest (the wind blowing Eosternly) he was driven into these parts;* 1.1 where he erected and left a Column whereon were affixed the Arms of Portugal, to remain to future ages, signifying that he took Possession of it for the Crown of Portugal. A little after, Americus Vesputius was expresly sent to make a more particular discovery of it, which so well succeeded that in a short time some Colonies of Portugals were here established, and the name of America was given it in honour to Americus Vesputius, which name was soon after communicated to all this new Continent; but this quarter particularly took the name of Brazile, by reason of the great abundance of that wood here found more than in other places.

BRAZILE, taken in its greatest extent, is one half of America Meridionalis, which some call Brasiliana, but which they divide into Brazile, and Paraguay: this Brazile separated from Paraguay begins at the River of Amazones, and extends it self to the Provinces of Paraguay:* 1.2 and though that be but from the first deg. of Lat. unto the 21; yet the Coast making a great Demi-circle, hath no less than 1200 Leagues. The Mer del Nort washes it on the North, South-East, and East; Paraguay and Peru, bounds the rest towards the South and West.

• 1.3The high Country is wholly unknown; and likewise part of the Coast. It hath every where abundance of Barbarous people, who make war with, and eat one another; the divers relations hitherto given us, make mention of more than 100 of these peoples,* 1.4 yet these are few in regard of those yet unknown. The most famous, and best known, are the Margajas, Topinambous, Ovetacas, Paraibas, Petiguares, Tapouyes, Cariges, Morpions, Tobajares, &c.

The Portugals have only seized on what they found most commodious on the Coast, and have from time to time placed divers Governments, which they call Capitanies. The most antient is that of Tamaraca, then of Fernambuco,* 1.5 now the most famous of all is that of the Bay of all Saints: they count Fourteen in all, which following the Coast, from the River of Amazones, towards Paraguay, are, Para, Maranhan, Giara, Rio Grande, Parayba, Tamaraca, Pernambuco, Seregippe, Baya de Todos los santos, los Isleos Porto seguro, Spiritu sancto, Rio Janiero, and St. Vincent.

• 1.6Each Capitany hath depending on it, one or two more Colonies of Portugals. In the Capitany of SAINT VINCENT, the principal is Santos, seated at the bottom of an Arm of the Sea, distant from the Main, about three Leagues, accommodated with a very good Port, capable to receive Vessels of 400 Tuns. This Town is Inhabited with about two hundred Families of Portugals, who have beautified it with a fair Church, and two Convents of Friers; and since the assault that Sir Thomas Cavendish made upon it in 1591, they have environed it with a wall, and well Fortified it with strong Bastions. The next is Saint Vincent, which hath not above one hundred houses of Portugals, but its Port little commodious. The third and fourth Cities are Itanchin, and Saint Paul, beyond the Mountains, and Forrest, Pernabiacaba; which are very difficult to cross, the way being cut through the trees: the City is seated on the Top of a little hill, and neighboured by some Mines of Gold, found in the Mountains; a Town of about one hundred houses, and two hundred Families, beautified with a Church, two Convents, and a Colledge of Jesuits, This Capitany wants Salt, Wine, and Oyl, but in recompence they have all sorts of Fruits, and many Mines of Silver about St. Paul.

• 1.7The Capitany of RIO JANIERO, takes its name from its Rivers; so called, because it was entred into in the month of January. The Portugals have built the City St. Sebastian, at the mouth of the Gulph, which the River makes falling into the Sea; and Fortified it with strong Bulwarks. And more to the West, they have likewise built the City of Angra de los Reyes, and made it a strong Colony. This Capitany hath much Brazile-wood, Cottons, and all Provisions, but no Sugar. These two Capitanies, Rio Janiero and St. Vincent, are on this side and beyond, or rather under the Tropick of Capricorn.

• 1.8The Capitany DEL SPIRITƲ SANCTO, hath one of the best soils of all Brazile, well stored with Cotton-wool, but deficient in Sugars. Its River is called Parayba from a name common to three Rivers in Brazile; one is beyond St. Vincent, the second this, and the last waters the Capitany of Parayba; that which waters Spiritu Santo, is pleasant, but rapid. The City hath but two hundred and odd Families of Portugals. Its principal buildings are, a Church dedicated to St. Francis, a Colledge of Jesuits, and a Monastery of Benedictines.

• 1.9PORTO SEGƲRO belongs to the Duke of Aveiro, and hath three Colonies, viz. 1. St. Amaro, or St. Omers, once of great account for making Sugars, where they had five Sugar Engines, for the ordering and making it, but deserted by the Portugals, for fear of the incursions of the Savages. 2. Sancta Cruz, a Town not very large, neither with a commodious Harbour. 3. Porto Seguro containing not above two hundred houses, but held of some Antiquity. It is built on the top of a white cliff, which commands the Haven. The soil of this Capitany is so fertil in Grains and Fruits,* 1.10 that it furnisheth its Neighbours; It hath likewise Sugar.

• 1.11LOS ISLEOS, belongs to Don Luco Giraldo, a Portugal; Its chief Town is seated on a small River, but neighboured by a great Lake of twelve Leagues circuit, from which this River takes its rise, and contains not above 150, or 200 Families of Portugals. It hath a long time suffered persecution, and the Colony almost lost by the Guaymures, a race of the most savage and barbarous people of Brazile, which being driven out of their own Country fell into this Praefecture, which they had utterly ruinated, had not (as a Jesuite tells us) some of the Relicks of St. George been brought hither; which seeing, the Planters re-took courage, and bravely repulsed these Barbarians. The River which waters this City turns eight or ten Mills, or Sugar-Engines.

• 1.12The Capitany del BAYA DE LOS SANTOS, took its name from the Bay or Gulph, wherein is seated St. Salvador its principal City: This Bay having its mouth to the Sea, eight or ten Leagues wide, and its depth twelve, fifteen, or twenty fathom every where, encloses many Isles, of which the most outward to the Sea is Taperico: This Bay makes likewise divers openings, fifteen or twenty Leagues within Land, from whence it receives the Rivers of Pitange, Ceresippe, Cachera, and others, each with their little Gulph: This Bay is memorable for the rash attempt of Peter Heyns a Dutchman,* 1.13 Admiral of a Fleet of the Ʋnited Provinces for the West India-Company, who in 1627 entred this Bay, where there were 26 sail of Spanish Ships, four of which were men of War, all lying under the Protection of the Castles and Forts; who notwithstanding the shots that he received from the Forts, Castles, and Ships, fell amongst them with such boldness, that he sunk their Vice-Admiral, and took all, or most of the rest, with a condition only of their lives. The City of St. Salvador,* 1.14 is in the most Northern part of the Gulph, seated on a little Hill, and towards the Sea; it regards its Ports made in a Demi-circle, whose two points, or extremities have each their Castle; St. Antonio towards the Sea, and Tapesipe towards the Bay. This City all environed with a wall, is great and populous, and dignified with the Residence of the Vice-Roy of Brazile, for the Crown of Portugal, as also with a Bishops See, together with divers Officers. It is beautified with many Churches and Religious Houses, but above all, the Colledge of the Jesuits is magnificent. This Capitany is best peopled, and the richest of all Brazile: It hath 40 or 50 Sugar-Mills, the most of which are about this Bay; every where there is quantity of Cotton, and on the coast is found Ambergneece.

• 1.15The Capitany SEREGIPPE DEL REY hath only a little City, and Olivera is that alone which gives it a degree amongst the Captains of Brazile; and here is esteemed to be some Mines of Silver.

• 1.16The Capitany of FERNAMBƲCK is one of the best of all Brazile, possessed by the Albuquerques. The Portugals have here established Thirteen Colonies, among which Olinda is the chief, being a fair and pleasant City, seated near the Sea-shore, but with no commodious Haven, only its entrance is defended by a Castle which is well Fortified; Account hath been made of two thousand Families of Portugals, besides the Clergy and the slaves which were in great number, which they imployed in their Sugar-mines; and among the Portugals two hundred Families, which possessed each twenty five, thirty, forty, or fifty thousand Crusados, and more; the chiefest Ornament of this City is the Colledge of the Jesuits, built very rich and magnificent, and endowed with many Houses in the City, many Sugar-Engines, and much Cattle in the field; also a Collegiate Church, with six or seven others, besides Chapels, several Monasteries, and Hospitals, &c. From the City a Tongue of Earth advances to the Sea, at the end of which is Recif, a well-peopled Town, where the Ships load and unload their Merchandises.

This place is become Famous in our time, having been for many years disputed between the Portugals, and the Hollanders; but these have in the end been driven out by the other.

• 1.17Besides the Colonies, there are abundance of Aldees for the Indians; it is observed that every year there is laden from Fernambuck, 80, 90, and sometimes a hundred Ships, the most part with Sugars, and some with Brazile-wood, and that only in the space of four years, which were 1620, 21, 22, and 23, there was transported from Angola in Aethiopia, unto this Capitany 15 or 16000 slaves to work in their Sugars, and Brazile.

• 1.18The Soil is fat and fertil, the Sugar Canes coming of themselves both on the Hills and in the Valleys, and the Brazile-wood, being brought in a prodigious quantity from the Forrest Gran Mato of Brazile, 20 Leagues from Olinda. All these conveniencies, with the goodness of its pastures, makes them call this Capitany the Paradise of Brazile.

But in 1630, 31, 32, the Dutch West-India Company took, and ruined Olinda,* 1.19 and after it St. Augustine, and almost all the Fortresses, which the Portugals held in this Capitany: and were not driven out till within 9 or 10 years, but from time to time molested.

• 1.20TAMARACA is the most antient Capitany, but the smallest of all Brazile; that of Fernambuck enclosing it on one side, and Parayba on the other. Its Fertility is admirable; the Port dos Francezes is a place of no great note, but for its commodious haven, which is well defended by an impregnable Castle, which is seated on the top of an hill.

• 1.21The CARAYBA of Parayba, had likewise beginning from the French in 1584, which soon after was seized by the Portugals, and its principal City Parayba was called by them, Philippine, or Neustra Seignora da Nieves; and by the Hollanders when they were Masters of it, Frederickstad: It is two or three Leagues from the Sea; there where the River Parayba falls, having two Castles on the two parts, which end it, and defend its entrances, that on the right hand is Cape Delo, where is the Fort St. Katherine, the other Cape del Nort, where is the Fort of St. Anthony. This City is walled, and is seated on the banks of the said River; at the bottom of an Arm of the Sea, not above three Leagues from the Ocean.* 1.22 This Capitany on the North touches Rio Grande, on the South Fernambuck, enclosing that of Tamaraca, on the West: the River Parayba, dividing it into two equal parts; the Inhabitants addicting themselves to till the fields, where they possess their Heritages, Farm-houses, and Ingenno's, which are magnificently built. These Ingenno's are the Mills which serve to bruise the Sugar Canes;* 1.23 they are built along the River, where are the Fields and Closes; in which lie the Canes and some Copses from whence they fetch wood to boil the Sugar. And sometimes, these Ingenno's are so great, and so ample, that they contain besides the house of the Master which is well built, many others: either for the Portugals, which serve them, or for those Negroes and Slaves, which belong unto them; and their number amounts to 50, 60, 80, and sometimes to a hundred Families. There are a score of these Ingenno's in the Capitany of Parayba.* 1.24 The Land is unequal being in Mountains, Valleys and Plains. The Plains are for the Sugar; the Valleys for Tobacco, Mandioche and Fruits; and the Mountains for Wood. The lands which are tilled, yield one hundred for one, their pastures feed many Flocks of Beeves, Sheep,* 1.25 Goats, Hoggs, and Horses, which are strong and laborious. The Natives of the Country have some Aldees, that is, Villages, built after their mode, each Village having only four, five, or six houses, but very long like Halls, where are 4, or 5, or 600, sometimes 1000, 1200, or 1500 Inhabitants; their moveables being only their Hamacao's, which are their Beds, their Bow and Arrows and some Mandioche. In each Aldee they have a Captain, which they chuse among themselves, and they give them a Portugal to see what passes: there are of these Aldees, in all the Capitanies of the Portugals, six principal ones in that of Parayba, as many in that of Rio Janerico, three in Tamaraca, three in Fernambuck, and so in others.

• 1.26The Capitany of RIO GRANDE, was once possessed by the French, after they had quitted R. Ganabara: and here they made alliance with the Petivares in the year 1597. Feliciano Ceca of Garovulasco, Captain of Parayba came to assault them; but without forcing them away that time; in 1601 they were quite expelled. The French had discovered an excellent Mine of Silver at Copooba, and another of Emeralds, near the Bay of Moncourou, bebetween Rio Grande, and Siara, and rich Salt-pits near the Point de Salinas. The principal Fortress that the Portugals hold here, is De los tres Reyes, or the three Kings, on the right hand of the River.

The Coast of Brazile from Cape de Frio, until on this side of that of St. Augustine, and so to the middle of the head of Potengi, stretches from South to North, and continually regards the East. The rest of this Capitany, and that of Siara Maranhan and Para, extend from East to West, regarding the North, and are the nearest to the Equinoctial Line. The Coast of these four last Capitanies hath no less extent on the Sea, than that of all the others together, but are worth much less.

• 1.27The Capitany of SIARA is among many Barbarous People, and therefore not much frequented; yet is of some trade, by reason of the Cotton, Chrystal, Precious Stones, and many sorts of Wood, which are here found. They have likewise many Canes of Sugar, which are of no use, there being no Sugar Engines in the Country.

• 1.28The Capitany of MARANHAN is an Isle, which, with some others, is found in a Gulph, about twenty five Leagues long, and broad. This Isle hath forty five Leagues Circuit, hath twenty seven Villages, of which Junaparan is the chief, and in each Village four, five or 600 men, so that the French made account of 10000 men in this Island.

• 1.29The Air serene, temperate and healthful, the Waters excellent, and which scarce ever corrupt on the Sea. The Land as fruitful as any in America, yielding Brazile-wood, Saffron, Cotton, Red-dye, Lake, or Rose colour, Balm, Tobacco, Pepper; and sometimes Ambergrease is gathered on its Coast. The Land is found proper for Sugar, and if it were tilled, would produce Grains; some say, it hath Mines of Jasper, and white and red Chrystal, which for hardness surpasses the Diamonds of Alenzon: It is well watered with fresh Rivers, and pleasant Streams, well cloathed with Woods, in which are store of Fowl. The people are strong of body,* 1.30 live in good health, commonly dying with age; the women being fruitful till eighty years of age, both Sexes go naked until they are married, and then their apparel is only from the Wast to the Knees, which is Manufactures of Cotton, or Feather-works, in which they are very ingenious.

• 1.31The Tapouy Tapere, that is, the Country of the Tapouies, is another Isle, East of Maraguon, at Full-sea it is an Isle; on the Ebb only, Sands separate it from the Continent. The soll is yet better than that of Maranhan, it hath but fifteen Villages, the chief bearing the name of the Country; they are greater and better peopled than those of Maranhan.

• 1.32West of Tapouy Tapere, and on the firm Land, Comma, a City, River, and Country of the same name, is of no small value; its fifteen or sixteen Villages are as well peopled as those of Tapouy Tapere. Between Comma, and Cayetta, which approaches Para, are divers people descending from the Toupinambous, as those of Maranhan, and Comma, descend from the Tapouyes.

The French were likewise divers times possessed of the Isle of Maranhan: Ribaut was here in 1594. Ravardiere in 1612. This last chose a most commodious place in the Island, and built the Fort of St. Lewis; the Portugals drove them out in 1614, and built new Forts, St. Jago, and Neustra Sennora. Among the Rivers that full into the Gulph of Maranhan, Miari is the greatest, then Taboucourou.

• 1.33The Capitany of PARA hath a square Fort, seated on a Rock, raised four or five fadom from the neighbouring ground, and well walled, except towards the River; it hath four or five hundred Portugals, who gather in the Country Tobacco, Cotton, and Sugar. This Capitany holds beyond the Mouth of the Amazone, Corrupa, and Estiero, and among the Mouths of that River Cogemine.

• 1.34Brazile hath an Air sweet, and temperate, though under the Torrid Zone, the daies and nights being almost equal; the freshness of the Sea, Rivers, and ordinary Dews contributing much to its wholsomness. They lie very subject to Storms, and Thunders; and if it lighten in the evening, it is without Thunder; if it Thunder, without Flashes. That which likewise proves the goodness of the Air, is, that their Serpents, Snakes, Toads, &c. are not venemous;* 1.35 but often serve for food to the Inhabitants: yet the soil is more proper for the production of Fruits, Pastures, and Pulse, than the Grains, or Vines of Europe. They carry them Wine, and Flowr, Corn being subject to spoil on the Sea. The Natives use Rice and Manjoche to make their Bread.* 1.36 They have likewise quantity of Pulse, Trees which bear excellent Fruits, Herbs, Four-footed-Beasts, Birds, and Fish in great abundance, many of which are not known to us; many sorts of Palm-trees, which yield them great Commodities: they have some Mines of Gold, but more of Silver; but the riches of Brazile is drawn from the Sugars, and the Brazile-wood, which comes from their Araboutan, a mighty Tree, which bears no Fruit. They have abundance of Parroquetos; among their Monkeys, they have black ones, and of divers colours, the most part very pleasant. The skin of the Tapiroussou, curried, becomes so hard, that it makes Bucklers, not to be pierced by the strongest shot Arrow.

• 1.37The Brazilians are of a mean stature, gross headed, large shouldred, of a reddish colour, their skins tawny; they live commonly to a hundred and fifty years, and free from diseases, caring for nothing but War and Vengeance. They wander most part of their time in Hunting, Fishing, and Feasting; in which Manjoche furnishes them with Bread; Cumin-seed, with Drink; and and the Flesh of Beasts, or of their Enemies cut in gobbets, and some Fish, are their most excellent meats. The men are very cruel, forgetful of courtesies received, and mindful of injuries. The Women are very lascivious, they are delivered with little or no pain, and immediately go about their affairs, and not observing the custom of a Months lying in, as is used among us. They let their hair grow long, which ordinarily hangeth over their shoulders; both Sexes go naked, especially, till Married: They are esteemed excellent Swimmers; and divers, being able to stay an hour together under water. They paint themselves with divers colours, all over the body, on which they leave no hair, not so much as on their Eye-lids, but only a Crown about their Head; and fasten a Bone, which is well polished, and some little Stone, which is esteemed amongst them, in their upper Lip, and Cheeks. Others cut their skin in Figures, and mixing a certain tincture it never comes out. They make Bonnets, Frontlets, Ruffes, Bands, Cloaks, Girdles, Garters, and Bracelets, with Feathers of divers colours, which they work, and mix the colours together very excellently. The Brazilians which have stayed among the Portugals, are, for the most part, become Christians; the others wander without Religion.

• 1.38There is a great diversity of Tongues among them; insomuch, that Jarric assures us, that in his time he observed sixty different ones; and though they have no Sciences, yet have they some knowledge of the course of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, giving them divers names, and calling the Eclipses nights of the Sun and Moon.

• 1.39All the Wood of Brazile belongs unto the King of Portugal, private persons not being permitted to trade in it. Their riches come from Whale-Oyl, Confects, Conserves, Tobacco, Silver, Hides, and other. Commodities; but principally from Sugar, no Country in the World exporting so much as Brazile doth. The Isle Madera hath but ten Sugar Engines, the Isle of St. Thomas possibly less; but Brazile 4 or 500.

• 1.40As for the names of Mestiz, and Mulates, which divers times have been met with; it is to be observed, that the Portugals being long since here established, and having from time to time caused to be transported a great many Negroes, as well Men as Women to serve them; This mixture of divers Nations, and divers colours, hath made them to distinguish their Children, and to call those who came from Father and Mother of the Europeans, Mozom•o; those who came from an European and a Brazilian, Mestiz, or Mamelucco; those from an European and a Negroess, Mulates; those from a Brazilian and a Negroess, Cariboco; those from the Father and Mother of Aethiopians. Criolo. Moreover, it hath been known that an Aethiopian woman whose Husband was likewise an Aethiopian, hath brought forth two Children, the one black, and the other white; and a Brazilian Woman, whose Husband was likewise a Brazilian, to bring forth two, the one white, and the other black: and oft-times blacks have whites, and whites blacks; and there are to be seen white Aethiopians, that is to say, in all the features of their face, and in their hair, all the proportions of an Aethiopian, but with skin and hair white.

Before Brazile lyeth a train of low Rocks, but of a small breadth; but which continue almost all along the Coast, leaving but certain overtures by which the Rivers discharge themselves into the Sea. Ships that go or return from Brazile, pass necessarily by these overtures, or openings, which oft times proves very dangerous.