TRAVELS
IN
BRAZIL.
BY
_HENRY KOSTER_.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN,
_PATERNOSTER-ROW_.
1816.
Printed by A. Strahan,
New-Street-Square, London.
TO
ROBERT SOUTHEY, ESQ.
_POET LAUREATE_,
MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SPANISH ACADEMY, AND OF THE ROYAL SPANISH
ACADEMY OF HISTORY,
_THESE TRAVELS_
ARE INSCRIBED
BY HENRY KOSTER,
IN
MEMORIAL
OF
AFFECTIONATE RESPECT AND GRATITUDE.
PREFACE.
DURING my residence in Brazil, I had no intention of publishing any
account of what I had seen and heard in that country. Some time after
my return to England, I was encouraged to put together the information
which I might be able to impart. The reader will be more disposed
to excuse what defects he may find, when he is informed that I went
out young, that I did not gather any knowledge of the country in a
systematic manner with the idea of giving it to the public, and that
the idiom of a foreign language is perhaps more familiar to me than
that of my own. But among judicious readers the style of works of this
description will be regarded as of little importance. I have had the
advantage of Mr Southey’s advice and extensive library. I have to thank
Dr. Traill for his aid in preparing the Appendix; though as he did not
see the whole of it, if there are any errors they must be attributed
to me, not to him. The drawings for the plates were executed by a near
relative, from very rough sketches of my own, assisted by description.
The outline of the map is taken from Mr. Arrowsmith’s large map
of South America; and the names and situations of some places are
corrected, and others are inserted from my own knowledge. The plan of
the harbour of Pernambuco was furnished to me by an English gentleman
resident at Recife, who is indefatigable in the search of whatever may
contribute to the increase of knowledge.
CONTENTS.
CHAP. I.
DEPARTURE from Liverpool.—Arrival at Pernambuco.—The Town
and Harbour of Recife.—The Governor.—The Trade Page 1
CHAP. II.
Visit to the Governor.—The Climate.—First Ride into the
Country.—Residence at a Village in the neighbourhood of
Recife.—Olinda.—Holy Thursday.—Good Friday.—Easter
Sunday.—Profession of a Friar.—St. Peter’s Day.—Visit
to a Brazilian Family.—A Dance.—Another Visit to Olinda 12
CHAP. III.
The Government.—The Taxes.—The Public Institutions.
—Criminals.—Prisons.—Military Establishments.—The
Island of Fernando de Noronha 30
CHAP. IV.
Journey to Goiana.—Journey from Goiana to Paraiba, and back
to Goiana 42
CHAP. V.
Journey from Goiana to Rio Grande.—The City of Natal.—The
Governor 56
CHAP. VI.
Continuation of the Journey.—From Natal to Açu 73
CHAP. VII.
Continuation of the Journey.—From Açu to Aracati.—From
Aracati to Searà.—Indians.—The late Governor.—The Family
of the Feitozas 97
CHAP. VIII.
Return.—From Searà to Natal.—Sertanejos.—Cattle.
—Vegetable Wax.—From Natal to Recife 129
CHAP. IX.
Voyage from Pernambuco to Maranham.—St. Luiz.—Trade.—Wild
Indians.—The Governor.—Alcantara.—The Author sails from
St. Luiz, and arrives in England 164
CHAP. X.
The Author sets sail from Gravesend, and arrives at
Pernambuco.—State of Recife.—Journey to Bom Jardim with a
Capitam-mor, and return to Recife 186
CHAP. XI.
Residence at Jaguaribe.—Journey to Goiana.—Illness.—Return
to Jaguaribe 211
CHAP. XII.
Journey to Uninha.—Continuation of my Residence at
Jaguaribe.—Negro Brotherhood of Olinda.—Blessing the
Sugar Works.—Mandingueiras and Valentoens 235
CHAP. XIII.
Removal of the Author to Itamaraca.—The Island.—Conception
and Pillar.—The Festival of Our Lady of the Rosary.
—Journey to Goiana.—The Toque.—The Cowpox 258
CHAP. XIV.
Ants, Snakes, and other Reptiles.—River of Iguaraçu.
—Building a House.—Several Species of Timber Trees.—The
Pinham, Mutamba, and Gameleira Trees.—The Whale 285
CHAP. XV.
Recruiting.—Images.—Animals.—Maracàs.—Apollinario,
Mandinga, and Poultry.—Hieroglyphics.—Festival of Our
Lady of Conception.—Fandangos.—The Fort.—A Christening.
—The Intrudo.—The Author leaves Brazil 305
CHAP. XVI.
Agriculture.—Sugar Plantations 336
CHAP. XVII.
Agriculture.—Cotton 365
CHAP. XVIII.
The Free Population 384
CHAP. XIX.
Slavery 402
CHAP. XX.
Impolicy of the Slave Trade 445
CHAP. XXI.
The Treaties of Friendship and Alliance, and of Commerce and
Navigation between the Crowns of Great Britain and
Portugal, signed at Rio de Janeiro on the 19th February
1810 457
APPENDIX 475
DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE PLATES.
Plan of the Port of Pernambuco to face the References.
A Jangada page 3
Map of the Route 42
Crossing a River 53
A Sertanejo 87
Fishing Canoe 175
A Lady going to visit 188
A Cotton-carrier 194
A Sugar-Mill 336
A Planter and his Wife on a Journey 384
REFERENCES
TO THE
PLAN OF THE PORT OF PERNAMBUCO.
A. The bridge of Boa Vista.
B. The bridge of Recife.
C. Fort Bom Jezus.
D. Fort Picam.
E. Fort Brum.
F. Cross of Patram.
G. Fort Buraco.
H. The village of Arrombados.
I. The church of St. Amaro.
K. Jerusalem.
a. Houses and gardens.
b. The Carmelite convent.
c. The Church of Sacramento (parish).
d. The Franciscan convent.
e. The Treasury.
f. The Palace.
g. The cotton wharf (commonly called _Forte do Mato_).
h. The Madre de Deos convent.
i. The church of Corpo Santo (parish).
k. The Intendencia da Marinha (dock yard) and King’s wharf.
To enter the port, coming in from sea, keep Fort Picam and Fort Brum
in one, until you have the point of Olinda bearing N., then steer due
N., until the cross of Patram is in one with the coco-nut trees on St.
Amaro, then steer directly for the same cross of Patram, until you
open the inner part of the reef above water, with Fort Picam to the
southward, where you may come to anchor, or stand on to the southward
into the harbour of Mosqueiro.
To enter the channel for smaller vessels coming from sea, keep the same
mark, Fort Picam and Fort Brum in one, until you are within a quarter
of a mile of Fort Picam, then bring the two southern watch towers on
Fort Brum in one, you clearing the northern extremity of the reef above
water, and hauling short round the same, keep the reef close aboard
until you are in the harbour of Mosqueiro.
[Illustration: PLAN OF THE
Port of
PERNAMBUCO.]
TRAVELS IN BRAZIL.
CHAPTER I.
DEPARTURE FROM LIVERPOOL.—ARRIVAL AT PERNAMBUCO.—THE TOWN AND
HARBOUR OF RECIFE.—THE GOVERNOR.—THE TRADE.
IF my health had not required a change of climate, I should not perhaps
so soon have accomplished the wish I had often expressed of leaving
England for a short time. An immediate removal was judged expedient;
and as the ports of Spain and Portugal were either closed to British
subjects, or at least not in a state to be visited by an invalid, I
determined upon Brazil; to which my friends agreed.—I fixed upon
Pernambuco, because a gentleman, who had for many years been acquainted
with my family, was about to embark for that place, and from the
favourable reports of the people and climate which I had received from
several persons. On the 2d November 1809, I set sail from Liverpool in
the ship Lucy.
We had a very prosperous passage of thirty-five days, without any
occurrence worthy of particular notice.
I was agreeably awakened very early on the morning of the 7th December,
with the news that we were in sight of land, and likely to get into
harbour this day. We soon discovered two vessels, with all sail set,
making for us; these proved to be two English merchant-ships, bound
likewise to Pernambuco; they had never before been at this port, and
therefore wished to receive some information respecting it; they judged
that, from the manner in which our vessel made for the land, her
commander must be acquainted with it, which was the case, this being
the second voyage of the Lucy to Pernambuco.
The land is low, and consequently not to be seen at any considerable
distance; but as we approached it, we distinguished the hill upon
which stands the city of Olinda, a little to the northward; and some
leagues to the southward, the Cape of St. Agostinho; a nearer view
discovered to us the town of St. Antonio do Recife, almost a-head with
the shipping in front of it; the dreary land between it and Olinda,
which is one league distant, and coco[1] groves northward, as far as
the eye can reach; southward of the town are also seen great numbers
of coco trees, woods, and scattered cottages. The situation of Olinda
is the highest in the neighbourhood; and though not very high, is
still not despicable. Its appearance from the sea is most delightful;
its white-washed churches and convents upon the tops and sides of
the hill; its gardens and trees, interspersed amongst the houses,
afford a promise of great extent, and hold out expectations of great
beauty. The sands, which extend one league to the southward of it, are
relieved by two fortresses erected upon them, and by the ships in the
lower harbour. Then follows the town of Recife, with the appearance of
being built in the water, so low is the sand-bank upon which it has
been raised; the shipping immediately in front partly conceal it; and
the bold reef of rocks on the outside of these, with the surf dashing
violently against and over it, give to them the appearance of being
ashore; and as no outlet is seen, they seem to be hemmed in. The small
tower or fort at the northern end of the reef, however, soon claims
attention, and points out the entrance. We approached the land rather
to the southward of the town, and coasted, under very easy sail, at
a short distance from the reef, waiting for a pilot. It was not yet
noon, the sea was smooth, the sun was bright, and every thing looked
pleasant. The buildings are all white-washed; the sun shone upon them,
and gave to them a glittering silvery appearance.
[Illustration: _A Jangada._]
Nothing this day created so much astonishment on board our ship,
amongst those who had not been before upon this coast, as the
_Jangadas_, sailing about in all directions. These are simply rafts
of six logs, of a peculiar species of light timber, lashed or pinned
together; a large latine sail; a paddle used as a rudder; a sliding
keel let down between the two centre logs; a seat for the steersman,
and a long forked pole, upon which is hung the vessel containing water,
the provisions, &c. These rude floats have a most singular appearance
at sea, no hull being apparent even when near them. They are usually
managed by two men, and go closer to the wind than any description of
vessel.
A large row-boat at last made its appearance, doubling the end of the
reef near the small fort, which was declared to be that which brings
off the pilots. The _patram-mor_, harbour-master, in his naval uniform,
likewise came on board. A large launch followed the pilot, manned
chiefly by negroes, almost naked; the colour of these men; the state in
which they were; their noise and bustle, when certainly there was no
occasion for it, and their awkwardness, were to me all new. This very
first communication with the shore gave me an idea, for the moment,
that the manners of the country at which I had arrived, were still more
strange than they actually proved to be. These visitors were followed
by others of a very different description; two boats came alongside,
manned by Englishmen, and conveying several English gentlemen. The
former belonged to British ships loading in the harbour, and the latter
were young men who had come out to Pernambuco to settle as merchants.
The pilot placed himself near to the ship’s windlass; a Portugueze
sailor was sent to take the helm, but still the vociferation was
extreme; the man seemed to think that, by speaking very loud, he would
make the English seamen understand his language; and what with his
bawling to them and to his own people, and their noise, the confusion
was excessive; however, we doubled the fort in safety, and came to
anchor in the upper harbour. The reef is very perpendicular near to the
bar; and to one unacquainted with the port, there is every appearance
of the vessel being about to drive upon it. I then accompanied my
fellow-passenger; we left the ship and proceeded to the shore. Here
was a new scene indeed. We had taken the letter-bag with us; the crowd
of well-dressed persons upon the quay was great; they saw the bag, and
soon their anxiety for news overcame their politeness; the letters were
asked for, and at last we gave them up, and they were scrambled for,
each man seeking his own. We had landed at the custom-house wharf upon
a busy day, and the negroes too were all clamour and bustle. Their
hideous noise when carrying any load, bawling out some ditty of their
own language, or some distich of vulgar Portugueze rhyme; the numerous
questions asked by many persons who met us, and the very circumstance
of seeing a population consisting chiefly of individuals of a dark
colour, added to the sound of a new language, with which, although
I was acquainted, still I had not since very early youth been in a
country where it was generally spoken; all combined to perplex and to
confuse. I was led along by those who were accustomed to these scenes,
and we proceeded to the house of one of the first merchants in the
place. We were ushered up one pair of stairs into a room in which were
several piles of piece-goods, a table covered with papers, and several
chairs. There were four or five persons in the room besides the owner
of the house. I delivered my letter of introduction to him, and was
treated with the greatest civility. Our next visit was to a colonel,
who is also a merchant, from whom I met with the same behaviour.
As there are no inns or furnished lodgings at Recife, or at[2]Olinda,
an acquaintance of my fellow-passenger obtained some temporary rooms
for us, and supplied us with what we wanted. We are therefore at
last quietly settled in our new habitation, if I may be allowed to
call it quiet, whilst some twenty black women are under the windows
bawling out, in almost all tones and keys of which the human voice is
capable,—oranges, bananas, sweetmeats, and other commodities, for sale.
The town of St. Antonio do Recife, commonly called Pernambuco, though
the latter is properly the name of the captaincy, consists of three
compartments, connected by two bridges. A narrow, long neck of sand
stretches from the foot of the hill, upon which Olinda is situated to
the southward. The southern extremity of this bank expands and forms
the site of that part of the town particularly called Recife, as
being immediately within the reef. There is another sand-bank also of
considerable extent, upon which has been built the second division,
called St. Antonio, connected with that already mentioned by means of
a bridge. Yet a third division of the town remains to be mentioned,
called Boa Vista, which stands upon the main land to the southward of
the other two, and is joined to them also by a bridge. The _recife_,
or reef of rocks already spoken of, runs in front of these sand-banks,
and receives upon it the principal force of the sea, which, at the flow
of the tide, rolls over it, but is much checked by it, and strikes the
quays and buildings of the town with diminished strength. The greatest
part of the extent of sand between Olinda and the town which remains
uncovered, is open to the sea, and the surf there is very violent.
Buildings have only been raised within the protection of the reef. The
tide enters between the bridges, and encircles the middle compartment.
On the land side there is a considerable expanse of water, having
much the appearance of a lake, which becomes narrower towards Olinda,
and reaches to the very streets of that place, thus facilitating the
communication between the two towns. The view from the houses that look
on to these waters is very extensive and very beautiful; their opposite
banks are covered with trees and white-washed cottages, varied by small
open spaces and lofty coco trees.
The first division of the town is composed of brick houses of three,
four, and even five stories in height; most of the streets are narrow,
and some of the older houses in the minor streets are of only one
story in height, and many of them consist only of the ground-floor.
The streets of this part, with the exception of one, are paved. In
the Square are the custom-house, in one corner, a long, low, and
shabby building; the sugar-inspection, which bears the appearance of
a dwelling-house; a large church, not finished; a coffee-house, in
which the merchants assemble to transact their commercial affairs; and
dwelling-houses. There are two churches in use, one of which is built
over the stone arch-way leading from the town to Olinda, at which
a lieutenant’s guard is stationed. The other church belongs to the
priests of the _Congregaçam da Madre de Deos_. Near to the gate-way
above-mentioned is a small fort, close to the water-side, which
commands it. To the northward is the residence of the Port-Admiral,
with the government timber-yards attached to it: these are small,
and the work going on in them is very trifling. The cotton-market,
warehouses, and presses, are also in this part of the town.[3]
The bridge which leads to St. Antonio has an arch-way at either end,
with a small chapel built upon each; and at the northern arch is
stationed a serjeant’s guard of six or eight men. The bridge is formed
in part of stone arches, and in part of wood: it is quite flat, and
lined with small shops, which render it so narrow that two carriages
cannot pass each other upon it.
St. Antonio, or the middle town, is composed chiefly of large houses
and broad streets; and if these buildings had about them any beauty,
there would exist here a certain degree of grandeur: but they are too
lofty for their breadth, and the ground-floors are appropriated to
shops, warehouses, stables, and other purposes of a like nature. The
shops are without windows, and the only light they have is admitted
from the door. There exists as yet very little distinction of trades;
thus all descriptions of manufactured goods are sold by the same
person. Some of the minor streets consist of low and shabby houses.
Here are the Governor’s palace, which was in other times the Jesuits’
convent; the treasury; the town-hall and prison; the barracks,
which are very bad; the Franciscan, Carmelite, and Penha convents,
and several churches, the interiors of which are very handsomely
ornamented, but very little plan has been preserved in the architecture
of the buildings themselves. It comprises several squares, and has, to
a certain degree, a gay and lively appearance. This is the principal
division of the town.
The bridge which connects St. Antonio with Boa Vista is constructed
entirely of wood, and has upon it no shops, but is likewise narrow. The
principal street of Boa Vista, which was formerly a piece of ground
overflowed at high water, is broad and handsome: the rest of this third
division consists chiefly of small houses, and as there is plenty
of room here, it extends to some distance in a straggling manner.
Neither the streets of this part of the town nor of St. Antonio are
paved. A long embankment has likewise been made, which connects the
sand-bank and town of St. Antonio with the main land at Affogados[4],
to the south and west of Boa Vista. The river Capibaribe, so famous in
Pernambucan history, discharges its waters into the channel between St.
Antonio and Boa Vista, after having run for some distance in a course
nearly east and west.
Some few of the windows of the houses are glazed, and have iron
balconies: but the major part are without glass, and of these the
balconies are enclosed by lattice-work; and no females are to be seen,
excepting the negro slaves, which gives a very sombre look to the
streets. The Portugueze[5], the Brazilian, and even the Mulatto women,
in the middle ranks of life, do not move out of doors in the day-time;
they hear mass at the churches before day-light-, and do not again
stir out, excepting in sedan chairs, or in the evening on foot, when
occasionally a whole family will sally forth to take a walk.
The upper harbour of Recife, called the Mosqueiro, as has been already
said, is formed by the reef of rocks which runs parallel with the
town at a very small distance. The lower harbour, for vessels of 400
tons and upwards, called the Poço, is very dangerous, as it is open
to the sea, and the beach opposite to it is very steep. The large
Brazil ships, belonging to merchants of the place, lie here for months
at a time, moored with four cables, two a-head and two a-stern. If
precautions are not taken very speedily, the entrance to the harbour
of Mosqueiro will be choaked up, owing to a breach in the reef,
immediately within the small fort, which is called Picam. The port has
two entrances, one of which is deeper than the other. The tide does
not rise more than five and a half feet. The principal defence of the
town consists in the forts Do Buraco[6] and Do Brum, both of which are
built of stone, and are situated upon the sands opposite to the two
entrances. Likewise there is the small fort of Bom Jezus, near to the
arch-way and church of the same name; and upon the south-east point
of the sand-bank of St. Antonio stands the large stone fort of Cinco
Pontas, so called from its pentagonal form. They are said to be all out
of order. From what I have stated, it will be seen that the ground upon
which the town has been built is most peculiarly circumstanced, and
that the manner in which the harbour is formed is equally rare.
The town is principally supplied with water, which is brought in
canoes, either from Olinda, or from the river Capibaribe, above the
influence of the tide; it comes in bulk, and although the greater part
of the vessels are decked, still it is usually filthy, as too much care
is not taken in their cleanliness. The wells that are sunk in the sand
upon which the town stands only afford brackish water.
The three compartments of the town, together, contain about 25,000
inhabitants, or more, and it is increasing rapidly; new houses are
building wherever space can be found. The population consists of white
persons, of mulatto and black free people, and of slaves also of
several shades.
The reef of rocks, of which I have before spoken, continues along the
whole coast between Pernambuco and Maranham, and in some parts it runs
at a very short distance from the shore; and in this case is usually
high, remaining uncovered at low water, as at Recife; but in other
places it recedes from the land, and is then generally concealed. It
has numberless breaks in it, through which the communication with the
sea is laid open.
Recife is a thriving place, increasing daily in opulence and
importance. The prosperity which it enjoys may be in some measure
attributed to the character of its Governor and Captain-General,
Caetano Pinto de Miranda Montenegro, who has ruled the province for the
last ten years with systematic steadiness and uniform prudence. He has
made no unnecessary innovations, but he has allowed useful improvements
to be introduced. He has not, with hurried enthusiastic zeal, which
often defeats its end, pushed forwards any novelty that struck him
at the moment, but he has given his consent and countenance to any
proposal backed by respectable persons. He has not interfered and
intermeddled with those concerns in which governments have no business,
but he has supported them when they have been once established. I here
speak of commercial regulations and minor improvements in the chief
town, and in the smaller settlements of the country. He is affable,
and hears the complaint of a peasant or a rich merchant with the same
patience; he is just, seldom exercising the power which he possesses
of punishing without appeal to the civil magistrate; and when he does
enforce it, the crime must be very glaring indeed. He acts upon a
system, and from principle; and if it is the fate of Brazil to be in
the hands of a despotic government, happy, compared to its present
state, would it in general be, if all its rulers resembled him. I love
the place at which I so long resided, and I hope most sincerely that
he may not be removed, but that he may continue to dispense to that
extensive region, the blessings of a mild, forbearing administration.
In political consequence, with reference to the Portuguese government,
Pernambuco holds the third[7] rank amongst the provinces of Brazil;
but in a commercial point of view, with reference to Great Britain, I
know not whether it should not be named first.[8] Its chief exports
are cotton and sugar; the former mostly comes to England, and may be
accounted at 80,000 or 90,000 bags annually, averaging 160 pounds
weight each bag. The latter is chiefly shipped to Lisbon. Hides,
cocoa-nuts, ipecacuanha, and a few other drugs, are also occasionally
sent from thence, but are exported in trifling quantities. These
articles are exchanged for manufactured goods, earthenware, porter, and
other articles of necessity among civilized people, and also of luxury
to no very great amount. Two or three ships sail annually for Goa in
the East Indies; and the trade to the coast of Africa for slaves is
considerable. Several vessels from the United States arrive at Recife
annually, bringing flour, of which great quantities are now consumed;
furniture for dwelling-houses, and other kinds of lumber, and carrying
away sugar, molasses, and rum. During the late war between the United
States and England, which interrupted this trade, Recife was at first
somewhat distressed for wheat-flour, but a supply arrived from Rio
Grande do Sul, the most southern province of the kingdom of Brazil.[9]
The quality is good[10], and I rather think that some coasting-vessels
will continue to supply the market with this article, notwithstanding
the renewed communication with North America.