Sylves
Serpa
Marippy
Rio Negro
Barcellos
Moura
Thomar.
Macappa is the most considerable town of the province, situated
upon the margin of the Amazons, four miles north of the equator, on
elevated land, with a very good fort, a church dedicated to St. Joze,
an hospital, tolerable streets, and houses covered with tiles. It had
its commencement twelve miles further to the west, at the embouchure of
the Matapy. Its inhabitants cultivate Indian corn, mandioca, rice, some
cocoa, cotton, and various fruits. Amongst other trees of estimation in
its environs there is one called _quatiara_, the wood of which is
yellow, having black stripes; also the _macaco_ wood.
Sixty-five miles east of Macappa is Robordello, reduced to little note
by the desertion of the Indians who inhabited it. It is situated upon
the southern margin of the island of Cavianna, which is thirty-five
miles in length and twenty in width; the land is flat and fertile,
with a fine farm or fazenda of cattle, belonging to the Hospital da
Santa Caza, (Holy House,) of Mizericordia, at Para. It produces the
_macaco_ wood, and the whole of its circuit abounds with fish.
Villanova is situated on the eastern bank, and twenty-five miles above
the embouchure of the considerable river Anauirapucu, which originates
in the territory of the Armabutos. It was founded for the establishment
of white people, but is going into a state of decay in consequence of
its desertion by them; those who remain are cultivators of mandioca,
Indian corn, and rice; and fish in the channels of the island of Croa.
It possesses fine _campinhas_ for breeding cattle; and in its
environs the _macaco_ wood grows, which is heavy,--those growing
in dry lands are entirely red, and others in a different soil are
shaded with black.
Mazagao originated on an island at the mouth of the Matapy, experienced
several changes of situation, and was ultimately fixed five miles above
the bar of the Matuaca, where it runs into the Amazons, and nearly
fifteen miles west of the Anauirapucu. St. Anna was its primitive name,
which it lost on the establishment in it of the people of the Praca de
Mazagao, from the kingdom of Marrocos, who were afterwards augmented by
various families from the Azore islands. Cotton and rice are the riches
of its dwellers, who are diminishing in consequence of the prevalence
of fevers. In its districts there are various excellent earths for
potteries, but their productions are very indifferent.
Forty miles to the south-west of Mazagao, and near twenty-five from the
Amazons, is the parish of Fragozo, on the right margin of the Jary,
with a church of St. Antonio. Its inhabitants collect cloves, cocoa,
cotton, sarsaparilla, &c. and advance up the Amazons in search of the
tortoise. Between Fragozo and Mazagao is the parish of St. Anna, on the
margin of the fine river Cajary: rice, cotton, and some cocoa, are its
productions.
Arrayollos is a small town, agreeably situated upon a small hill near
the eastern margin, and fifteen miles above the mouth of the Aramucu.
It has two large open spaces, with some semblance to squares, a
church dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rozario, and inhabitants who are
agriculturists and fishermen.
Espozende a Villota, or Small Town, in an elevated situation upon
the Tubare, commanding fine views of the surrounding Campinhas, has
a church of Our Lady do Rozario, and is ten miles north-west of
Arrayollos. Fishing, hunting, the cultivation of cotton, Indian corn,
rice, and mandioca, is the occupation of its inhabitants.
Almeyrim is a middling town, occupying an advantageous site at the
mouth of the Paru, of which it first took the name, and originating
in a Dutch fort, which is yet preserved. There is a diversity of
excellent timber in its environs, and the inhabitants are fishermen,
and cultivate mandioca, Indian corn, rice, legumes, and cotton. Twenty
miles above Almeyrim is the parish of Our Lady of Desterro, at the
mouth of the considerable Vaccarapy. Fishing, hunting, and the culture
of cotton and common necessaries, occupy its inhabitants.
Outeyro, a middling town, well supplied with fish, is situated upon
a small hill on the eastern side of the lake Urubuquara, formed by
the river of the same name; it is fifteen miles from the Amazons, and
sixty-five west of Almeyrim. The church is dedicated to Nossa Senhora
of Graca, and its productions are similar to those of the preceding
place.
Montalegre, a considerable town, also abounding with fish, is situated
on the highest portion of a small island, near the eastern margin
of the Gurupatuba, which forms it. It is thirty-five miles above
Outeyro, and seven from the Amazons, and was one of the principal
missions of the Jesuits, whose Hospicio is now the residence of the
vicar. Mandioca, _feijao_, cotton, cocoa, and coffee, are its
productions. In its district the clove-tree prospers, and it has a
saw-pit, on account of the treasury, for sawing the trunks of the
cedars that the floods of the Amazons deposit upon a neighbouring
island.
Prado is yet a small place, upon the eastern branch of the river
Surubui, twenty miles from the Amazons, and fifty west of Montalegre.
Its inhabitants are Indians, and live by some agriculture, hunting, and
fishing.
Alemquer is a considerable town, supplied with excellent meat, and well
situated upon the central embouchure of the lake Surubui, fifteen miles
from the Amazons, and fifty north of Santarem. It is a country infested
with the musquito, called _carapana_. The church is dedicated to
St. Antonio. Mandioca, Indian corn, rice, tobacco, and cocoa, are its
productions.
Curuamanema is the name of the third and western outlet of the lake
Surubui.
Obydos, formerly Pauxis, the name of the Indians for whose
establishment it began, is a considerable town, upon a small hill,
with some regularity, and a large square in the centre, near the
eastern mouth of the Trombetas, with an extensive view of the Amazons,
the whole of whose waters here rapidly descend by a channel about
a mile in width, but of such profundity, that the attempts to find
the bottom by sounding, have been unsuccessful. It has a magnificent
church, dedicated to St. Anna, and is fifty miles west of Alemquer. The
inhabitants cultivate divers necessaries of life, cotton, and a large
quantity of cocoa, which is in the highest repute at the capital.
Faro is a middling town, near a large lake, traversed by the river
Jamunda, forty miles west-north-west of Obydos, and above twenty from
the Amazons. Its church is dedicated to St. Joam Baptista, and the soil
is well adapted to the produce of cocoa, the principal wealth of its
inhabitants.
Sylves is a small place, situated upon the summit of an island near the
margin of the lake Saraca, eighty miles west-north-west of Faro, and
twenty distant from the Amazons. It abounds in fish and the necessaries
of life peculiar to the country. It has a church of St. Anna, and the
inhabitants are of various classes and colours, as are those of the
other towns, and cultivate excellent tobacco, cotton, cocoa, cloves,
and sarsaparilla.
Serpa is a middling town upon a small island of the Amazons, near its
northern bank, fifty miles from Sylves, and thirty-five below the
mouth of the Madeira. It has a church of Nossa Senhora of Rozario, and
inhabitants who derive a partial benefit from the rich productions that
nature has bestowed upon this country.
Forty miles to the north-west of Serpa is the parish of Our Lady of
Conceiçao, advantageously situated on the margin of the great lake
Canuma. Its productions are among the commerce and necessaries of life.
Twenty miles north-west of the preceding, and forty from the Amazons,
the parish of St. Raymundo, on the margin of the Urubu, is occupied by
Indians, who collect some articles of exportation. Fifty miles west of
Conceiçao and forty from the Amazons, is the parish of Nossa Senhora
do Socorro, near the lake of Matary, with productions similar to the
preceding one.
Fifteen miles above the parish of St. Raymundo is that of St. Pedro
Nolasco, also on the margin of the Urubu. Its inhabitants are Indians,
and their mode of life and productions do not differ from the others.
Marippy is a middling town, on the left bank of the Hyapura, thirty
miles from the Amazons, the church is of St. Antonio, and its
inhabitants are an accumulation of divers Indian nations, amongst
whom are the Miranhas, who possessed part of the territory between
the Hyapura and the Ica. They are fishermen and hunters, and collect
a portion of the productions of nature in its environs. Fevers do not
permit Europeans to reside here in any number.
Rio Negro, a considerable and flourishing town, capital of the
province, and head of the Ouvidoria of the same name, has a church of
Nossa Senhora da Conceiçao, and is situated near a small hill, on the
left margin of the eastern branch of the Rio Negro, ten miles from
the Amazons. Its origin was a fort, now existing, near which various
families were established, of the Bamba, Barre, and Passe nations. It
is the depository of divers mercantile productions, which descend by
the river, and are destined for exportation. It has a manufactory of
cord from _piacaba_, one for weaving cotton cloth, and a pottery,
all worked on account of the treasury. The main part of the cattle
killed here are embarked from the royal fazendas of Rio Branco. Above
the extremity of the town the Cachoeira discharges itself, which, four
miles distant, forms a handsome cataract, whose murmuring descent is
heard at this place.
One hundred miles above the capital is the parish of Ayrao, with a
church of St. Elias, on the southern margin of the Rio Negro. It
first began upon a large bay near the capital, for the habitation of
the Taruma and Aroaqui Indians. In the interval between these places
the Rio Negro receives, on the southern margin, the Hyborena, and on
the northern, the Ayurim, the Anauene, and the small rivers Cunamau,
Mapauhau, and Uacriuan, which empties itself almost in front of Ayrao.
Moura is a small town, forty miles above Ayrao, of an agreeable aspect,
and with some regularity, upon the right bank of the Rio Negro. The
church is of St. Ritta, and its inhabitants are principally descendants
of whites and Indian females. It originated in the assemblage of
four Indian nations--the Carahyahys, Cocuannas, Mannaus, and Jumas,
after which it had one or two removals previously to being fixed in
its present situation. A little above Ayrao, the Jaumuhi enters the
Rio Negro, and fifteen miles below Moura the Anany, both connecting
the river that receives them with the Cadaya, the eastern arm of the
Hyapura, through the medium of the large lake Atinineni, in whose
vicinity the cupahyba, or capivi, trees abound. The Hyanapary, by
corruption Jaguapiri, enters the northern margin of the Rio Negro,
almost in front of Moura. This river, whose waters are white, has an
extensive course. The Aroaqui Indians extend themselves from its banks
to those of the before-mentioned Anauene.
Twenty-eight miles above Moura, on the southern margin of the Rio
Negro, is the parish of Carvoeyro, having experienced several changes
of situation, with a church of St. Alberto, and inhabitants mainly of
the Manau, Parauanno, and Maranacuacena nations. Between Moura and
Carvoeyro not one river enters the Rio Negro by the southern bank; on
the northern the large river Branco, (White,) so called from the colour
of its waters, discharges itself by four mouths, three very near, being
formed by two small islands, the other, called Amayauhau, is fifteen
miles above. This river is the largest confluent of the Rio Negro,
and rises in the southern skirts of the serra Barocayna, receiving,
on the eastern side, in the following order, the small river Macoary,
the outlet of the lake Uadauhau, the river Ememeneny, the waters of
the lakes Curuicu and Uariary, and the river Uanauhau. On the western
margin the rivers Coratirimani, Eniuini, Ayarani, Cauame, and Ucayay.
Fifty miles above Carvoeyra is the parish of Poyares, upon the same
side of the Rio Negro, ornamented with a church of Santa Angelo, and
occupied by the Manao, Bare, and Passe Indians. Between Carvoeyra and
Poyares the river Cauhaury enters the Rio Negro, on the southern side;
and, on the western, the small rivers Uanapixi, Uaniba, and Cuaru.
Barcellos, twenty miles above Poyares, on the same margin of the
river, is the largest town of the province, being for many years the
residence of its governors, with a church of Our Lady of Conceiçao,
and inhabitants of various classes, who are agriculturists, fishermen,
hunters, and dealers. In the interval between Poyares and Barcellos
the Rio Negro only receives the Uatahanary, eight miles below the
latter place, on the southern side; on the northern, the small rivers
Uyrauhau, Hyamurauhau, and Buhybuhy, the latter in front of the same
town.
Fifty miles above Barcellos is the small town of Moreyra, on an
eminence, upon the southern bank of Rio Negro. Nossa Senhora do Carmo
is the patroness of its church, and its inhabitants are descendants of
Europeans married to Indian females. In the interval from Barcellos to
Moreyra the Rio Negro receives, on the southern side, the rivers Barury
and Quihyuny, and the small rivers Aratahy and Quemehueury; on the
northern, the Parataqui and the Uaraca, which receives, on the left,
the Demene, upon whose margins formerly dwelt the Guianna Indians.
Thomar, a small town, fifty miles above Moreyra, with potteries
along the southern margin of the Rio Negro, is situated in a country
well adapted for the culture of indigo. Its church is of Our Lady
of Rozario, and the inhabitants are composed of persons of divers
complexions, who collect only the necessaries of subsistence. It began
one hundred miles higher up, for the habitation of the Manao, Bare,
Uayuana, and Passe tribes. In the interval from Moreyra to Thomar the
Rio Negro receives, on the southern side, the Urarira, whose margins
were possessed formerly by the valorous Manao Indians, who extended
themselves as far as the river Chiuara. They admitted two gods--one the
author of good, denominated _Mauary_, the other of evil, called
_Sarauhe_. Their idiom prevailed amongst the other tribes with
whom they lived. On the northern margin it receives the river Uerere,
whose territories were, in other times, inhabited by the Carahyahy and
Uaryhua nations; and the Padauiry, opposite the town of Thomar, which
is a large river of white-coloured water, and traverses the lands of
the ancient Oremanaos, gathering on the left the Uexie Mirim.
Ten miles above Thomar is Lamalonga, an Indian povoaçao of Manaos,
Bares, and Banibas, situated on the right bank of the Rio Negro. Some
dispute between the Captains Alexander de Souza Cabary and Joze Joam
Dary, residents of Thomar, occasioned the latter to retire with his
people to this situation, where they founded a church dedicated to
St. Joze; it was afterwards augmented by the Indians of the aldeia of
Auacyhyda, which was ten miles higher up the river.
Fifty miles beyond Lamalonga is the parish of St. Izabel, an Indian
povoaçao of Uaupes, on the southern bank of the Rio Negro, which, in
this interval, receives, on the right, the Chibaru and Maba, and, on
the left, the Hyhyaha and Daraha.
Sixty miles above St. Izabel is the aldeia of Maracaby, on the northern
margin of the Rio Negro, whose current is here very violent, in
consequence of the stones which overspread its bed, occasioning the
canoes to be unloaded. In this interval the rivers Hyurubaxy, Uayhuana,
Uenenexy, and Chuiara, enter the Rio Negro on the right: the first
forms large lakes above its bar, and communicates with the Hyapura. The
rivers Marauya, Hyarudy, Inabu, Abuara, Sabururuha, Diba, and Cauabury
enter it on the left. The margins of the Marauya, which were formerly
inhabited by the Caranaos, who made a very long resistance to the
Manaos, have cocoa and sarsaparilla near the serras; these productions
are also common on the borders of some of the other rivers.
After Maracaby are the parishes of Caldas on the northern bank, and
almost in front of it, on the southern, is Loreto; further on, St.
Pedro, on the opposite side; and afterwards St. Antonio, on the
southern margin, inhabited by Bare, Macu, and Meppury Indians.
Ten miles above, on the same side, is the aldeia of St. Joam
Nepomuceno: in this interval no currents enter the Rio Negro.
Forty miles further, on the opposite bank, is the parish of St.
Bernardo. This interval is covered with large stones, and, having two
falls, is passed with great difficulty. On the right, the rivers Maria
and Curicuriau, and on the left the Uacaburu, Maruhueny, Uhuhybara,
Cassabu, and Miuha enter the Rio Negro.
Twelve miles above, on the northern side, is the parish of Nazareth,
occupied by Ayriney, Baremacu, and Meppury Indians.
A few miles further, on the same side, near the large falls of Crocoby,
is the fort of St. Gabriel, with a povoaçao of Bares.
Continuing to advance up the Rio Negro about thirty-five miles, the
parish of St. Joaquim do Coanne is met with, three miles from its
southern bank, and upon the right of the Uaupe, which communicates with
the Curicuriau by a channel called Inebu. In this space, where there
are some dangerous places, denominated Caldeirao and Paredao, with many
reefs, the Rio Negro receives two nameless streams on the right, and on
the left the Mabuaby, Hyhya, and two others without names.
The above mentioned Uaupe, which is large, receives on the southern
side the considerable river Tiquie, whose mouth is five days’ voyage
from St. Joaquim. It took the name of the Uaupe Indians, who perforate
the lower lips and ears, and carry around their necks a white
cylindrical and polished stone.
Twenty-five miles above the mouth of the Uaupe is the large river
Icanna; which runs parallel with it and the Uexie. Six days’ voyage
upwards by the Icanna there is a large cataract; and, one day more,
the bar of the large river Coyary is arrived at, that joins it on the
northern side; it receives also the Mabuyauha, which rises a short
distance from the Uexie.
In the upper angle of the mouth of the river Uaupe is the parish of St.
Miguel; and a little higher, on the same side of the Rio Negro, is the
parish of Nossa Senhora of Guia, both inhabited by Baniba Indians.
The parish of St. Anna follows on the northern bank; afterwards St.
Fillipe on the southern; and, more distant, that of St. Joam Baptista,
inhabited by Baniba Indians.
Fifteen miles higher, the Rio Negro receives the large river Uexie,
which waters the territories of the Bannyba, Capuenna, Mendo, and
Uerequenna Indians. Between this river and the Icanna, the large serra
of Tunuhy prolongs itself. In the vicinity of this confluence is the
parish of St. Marcellinoino.
Thirty miles above is the fort of St. Joze of the Marabytannas, also on
the southern side, with a povoaçao of Arihiny and Marybytanna Indians,
being the last Portuguese colony upon the Rio Negro, which after the
Uexie receives no other stream on that side, but the Beturu and the
considerable Dimity enters it on the northern.
The canoe-men of Para compute fifteen hundred miles from Para to this
fort, and for the accomplishment of the voyage they consume nearly
ninety days.
Thirty miles above the forte of St. Joze, on the northern bank of
the Rio Negro, is the embouchure of the river Cassiquiary, being a
channel of one hundred and eighty miles, opened by nature, and forming
a communication between the two immense rivers, the Oronoco and the
Amazons.
In 1756, there were only eight missions upon the Rio Negro, viz. Jahu,
Pedreira, Aracary, Camara, Maryua, Bararua, Camaru, and Dary. The first
is the nearest, and the last is the most distant from the fort upon the
bar of the said river.
Upon the margins of the Rio Branco are the parishes of St. Maria,
St. Joam Baptista, Nossa Senhora do Carmo, St. Fillipe, St. Antonio,
St. Barbara, and St. Joaquim with a fort, which is eleven hundred
miles distant from the city of Para, and from sixty to seventy days’
voyage. The inhabitants are Indians; and the houses of the whole are
covered with palm branches. Amongst the beautiful birds peculiar to the
vicinity of the Rio Negro, is one called the _gallo da serra_,
(the cock of the serra,) a little larger than the blackbird, with
strong legs, having spurs like a cock, with a similar beak; its
plumage is exceedingly beautiful, of an orange colour, with a bunch of
feathers, in the form of a fan, open from the neck almost to the point
of the bill, being of the same colour, with a rose-coloured stripe near
the border. These birds are very rare.
Cayenna, a considerable town, and well situated in the northern part
of the island, upon the embouchure of the river of the same name, on
ground rather elevated, is encircled with walls, which are only of
stone on the side of the port, where there is a gate and a wooden
bridge. All the edifices are of earth, with two or three steps at the
entrance. The palace of the governors is not higher, and is surrounded
with orange trees, having a square in front. There is a fort,
denominated the Citadel, in the most elevated situation, being almost
its only defence. It is the only remarkable town in the ex-French
Guianna, which that nation commonly called Equinoctial France, whose
northern limit is the river Marony. In the treaty of Utrecht, the river
Vincent Pinson, was named as the common limit between Portuguese and
French Guianna, the engagement of the French Monarch on this subject
was conceived in the following terms:
“_Sa Majeste se desistera pour toujours comme elle se desiste des
à present par ce traite dans les termes les plus forts, et les plus
authentiques, et avec toutes les causes riquises comme se elles
étoient inserées ici, taut en son nom, qu’en celui de ses hoirs,
successeurs, et héritiers de tous droits et pretentions, qu’elle peut
on pourra prétendre sur la propriété des terres appellées du Cap du
Nord, et situées entre la riviere des Amasones et celle de Iapoe, ou
de Vincent Pinson, sans se reserver on retenir aucune portion des
dites terres, afin qu’elles soient desormais possedées par sa Majesté
Portugaise.]_”
The Portuguese and French always gave the name of Vincent Pinson to the
river Oayapoek; the latter nation, after Condamine, wished the boundary
line to be considered the Aguary, by them called Arauary, which
discharges itself near two hundred miles further to the south-east;
but the French never had any kind of establishment south of the
Oayapoek.[44] The fort of St. Louiz, which changed its name to that of
St. Francisco with the revolution, situated fifteen miles from the sea,
on the northern margin of the Oayapoek, was always the most southern
establishment of Equinoctial France.
By the treaty of Madrid, in 1801, the Portuguese crown, unwillingly
ceded the territory north of the Carapanatuba. In the following year,
by the treaty of Amiens, the divisionary line received twenty leagues,
the river Aguary then serving as the limit, as well as subsequently to
the conquest of the country.
About the year 1630, the French established themselves here, under the
same evil star that has influenced all their conquests in the western
hemisphere. Shortly afterwards, abandoning their establishments on
Terra Firma, they removed to the island of Cayenna, where they remained
till the year 1655, without the colony arriving at that flourishing
state which was expected. In this year it passed under the dominion of
the British government, and was retained by us till the year 1674. The
Dutch took possession of it at this time, and kept it for four years.
Various obstacles were opposed to the activity of the colonists
(who always lived in hopes of fortune being more propitious) to the
period of the revolution, which threw every thing into a worse state;
with it disappeared some small towns and Indian aldeias which were
on the island and upon the continent, beginning with an Hospicio of
Franciscans.
The island of Cayenna, formed by the river of the same name, the
Mahory, and a narrow and winding strait by which they communicate, is
twenty miles long from north to south, of proportionable width, and
irregular form; the land is low, diversified with gentle elevations,
and overspread with timber. The soil is sandy, and black at the
surface; at the depth of two feet it is red, and is favourable to the
growth of coffee, cotton, Indian corn, indigo, mandioca, and the cane.
During the rainy season the vegetation is abundant for the sustenance
of oxen, horses, goats, sheep, and wild quadrupeds. In the three months
of most rigorous drought all these animals suffer from hunger, and many
die.
There are numerous small rivers of soft water, which carry various
sugar works. The channel which separates it from the continent conducts
to the port the productions of that side. Notwithstanding the east
wind refreshes the atmosphere every morning, the air is unwholesome,
in consequence of the contiguous morasses, which breed an immensity
of various species of insects, such as _mosquitos_, large toads,
ants, and many others, that annoy the inhabitants.