4,216 fogos, or houses.
23,865 adult inhabitants, exclusive of paid troops.
3 sugar engenhos, or works.
192 distilleries of rum.
4 engenhos for pounding rice.
297 wind and horse mills.
884 bolandeiras for grinding mandioca.
32 tan-pits.
In the year 1812, the population amounted to 31,530.
ISLANDS.--The only considerable islands are that which gives
the name to the province and that of St. Francisco. The island of St.
Catharina, upwards of thirty miles long from north to south, and from
four to eight in width, is mountainous, abounding with water, yet in
parts covered with woods, and does not want for stone or potters’
earth. Between its mountains there are some cultivated plains, of
greater or less extent, and also many marshy situations. There are many
bays, and they abound with shells. On the eastern side there is a lake
two leagues long from north to south, deep in some places, and at a
certain part so contracted that it appears like two, united by a neck
fifty fathoms wide, having a large bridge. When in the winter it begins
to inundate the adjacent low grounds, the inhabitants in the vicinity
open a channel to discharge the overflowing water into a bay, situated
at a little distance, and which is immediately filled up again by the
flowing of the tide, when the current ceases, during which a great
quantity of fish enter from the ocean. It consequently affords at all
times an abundant supply. At its northern extremity, there is a small
river called Vermelho, near which the best water-melons of the province
are produced. To the south of the preceding, there are three other
lakes: the Lagoinha Grande, the Pantano, and the Lagoinha de Leste. The
whole are stored with the same fish as the first. Mandioca and flax are
the principal articles of agriculture, which is generally exercised by
white men, who also cultivate Indian corn, rice, coffee, vegetables,
sugar, and some cotton, which is not of good quality. Some fruit
trees from the south of Europe are here naturalized. Water-melons,
pine-apples, and oranges are very abundant. The principal streams in
this island are the Vermelho, the Ratones, which enters the sea two
leagues north of the capital, and the Tavares, three miles south-east
of the capital. The country, watered by the last river, produces the
best melons in the province.
The channel which separates this island from the continent is far from
being of uniform width, forming two large ports, almost equal in size,
and separated by a straight of two hundred fathoms between two points.
The northern and larger port, ten miles wide, having depth for ships of
war, is one of the best in South America, and the key to the southern
ocean. The wind prevails from the south during the winter, which
commences generally in May and ends in October. Thunder-storms are
frequent in the summer; all the afternoons here are refreshed by strong
sea breezes, rendering the climate of this island equal to any in the
world.
Near to the southern point of St. Catharina are six small islands. The
three western ones are called the Papagúos, and the eastern the Tres
Ismaos. The islands of Moleques, Campeche, Xavier, Aranhas, and Badejo
are situated upon the eastern coast of the island of St. Catharina.
Near its northern point are three, called the Moleques. Five miles
north of the same point are the islands of Arvoredo and Galle. Within
the principal port, amongst others, are the islands of Tomarim, near
the coast of the continent, and the Ratones, almost in front of the
river of the same name, both fortified. In the southern port are the
islands of Cardos and Maruhy.
The town of Nosso Senhora do Desterro, the capital of the province,
is considerable, populous, and situated on the western side of the
island of St. Catharina, upon a bay a little to the east-south-east of
the straight, on unequal land between two rocks, traversed by three
small rivers, which are passed by various stone bridges. The streets
are almost generally irregular, and the houses either of stone or
wood. Besides a church, it has the chapels of Menino Deos, Our Lady of
Rozario, a Terceira order of St. Francisco d’Assis, and a hospital of
charity. The quarters of the troops are good. The senate is presided by
a _Juiz de Fora_, and the youth are instructed by royal masters in
the primitive letters and Latin, for whose benefit there is a tribute
in rum. Potteries afford a branch of industry and commerce. Coarse
cloths of linen and cotton, also a mixture of both, are manufactured.
The parish of Nosso Senhora das Necessidades, better known by the name
of St. Antonio, is five miles north of the capital, and small, but its
situation is particularly pleasant. The inhabitants cultivate sugar,
mandioca, Indian corn, some flax, and various hortulans. A little more
than three miles to the north is the bay Das Canavieiras (of canes or
reeds.) Here the Spaniards disembarked in 1777, and took possession of
the island without the least resistance.
The parish of Nosso Senhora da Conceiçao is situated about a league
to the east of the capital, upon a steep, a little distant from the
large lake, enjoying an extensive view of the ocean. Its parishioners
cultivate sugar and mandioca, with the other provisions of the country.
In this district there is an establishment for whale fishing.
Two leagues to the south of the capital is the parish of Nosso Senhora
da Lapa, situated near the mouth of a small river, in the recess of
a semicircular bay, and in front of an island. It is commonly called
_Robeira_, has abundance of fish, and the provisions of the
country.
Laguna is a middling town, advantageously situated upon the eastern
margin of the lake from which it derives the name. It is two miles
from the bar, near a small hill, from whence descend excellent waters.
The form of this place is quadrilateral, with three parallel streets,
crossed by others, and a square at one side, in which the municipal
house is situated. It has only one church, dedicated to St. Antonio
dos Anjos, and a great part of the houses are of stone, some one story
high, and whitened with the lime of shells. The inhabitants cultivate
the usual productions of the country. The lake is stored with fish,
and in the months of November and December a prodigious quantity of
_bagre_ (a long fish with a forked tail) enter it, supplying a
lucrative branch of commerce. This town is sixty miles south of the
capital. From its port, which receives coasting vessels, is exported
farinha, rice, Indian corn, timber, and salt fish.
About fifteen miles north of Laguna, and near fifty south of the
capital, is the parish of St. Anna, commonly known by the name of
Villa Nova, a small place, pleasantly situated upon an elevation near
the northern extremity of the same lake, with two ports, one called
Porto da Embituba, sheltered on the south and east by a headland
of the same name, where there is a small whale fishery, subject to
the administration of that of Garopaba. The houses are generally of
wood, although there is abundance of stone. Its inhabitants, amongst
whom there are many _macilentos_, (meagre or spare,) cultivate
the productions common to the country, and a large quantity of flax,
having, consequently, more weavers of that article than any other
place in the province. Onions are of an extraordinary size, and other
hortulans of a fine quality.
The parish of Nosso Senhora do Rozario, which is upon the bay of Brito,
between two small brooks, thirty-five miles north of St. Anna, and ten
south of the capital, is yet small, and its parishioners cultivate
mandioca, Indian corn, and sugar, and also are fishermen. In its
district there are hot springs.
Four miles to the south-east of the capital, and one distant from the
left bank of the Maruhy, is the parish of St. Joze, upon a bay of the
same name, with a pottery of glazed earthenware. The inhabitants grow
the same articles as the preceding.
Eight miles north-west of the capital is the pleasant parish of St.
Miguel, upon a bay so called, which forms a good roadstead. Its
inhabitants cultivate and export a large quantity of rice and farinha,
with some sugar. Near this place is the principal establishment for
whale fishing.
The town of St. Francisco is of middling size, well supplied with fish
and the provisions of the country, with houses mostly built of earth,
and a handsome church of stone, dedicated to Our Lady da Graca. It is
upon the western beach of the island of that name, about ten miles
within the bar of Babitonga, upon level ground, and in a situation well
calculated for commerce. Only two streets are paved. The inhabitants,
generally whites, are very pale, and almost all farmers of mandioca.
The cultivation of Indian corn, rice, sugar, coffee, and tobacco,
which might be considerable, is at present very trifling. There are
few persons who do not possess at least one canoe. Vessels are built
here of good burden. Timber and cordage of _imbe_ are the most
important exportations next to farinha (flour of mandioca.)
This province, which makes a part of the bishopric of Rio de Janeiro,
was till recently under the jurisdiction of the ouvidor of Portalegre,
but is now governed by Senhor Alexandre Eloi Portelli.