The only present defence of St Salvador consists in a fort called Do Mar, situated on a small rocky bank, about three quarters of a mile from the shore. It is chiefly indebted for its strength to the Dutch, who for tified it during their attempt to obtain possession of the place, in 1624. It consists of a circular with a lower battery : the diameter of the whole is about 270 feet. The shipping, by lying between this fort and the city, are placed under its protection. Five hundred men compose its garrison ; but through the negligence of the government, this number is never complete. The passes leading inland. to the north and south, are also defended by two forts, Barbalho and St Pedro, neither of which, however, possess any considerable strength. The troops of the city, including militia, amount to about 5000 ; one regiment of which is composed of mulattoes and free negrocs. Ships of war are constantly build ing ; but as the dockyard admits only one at a time, the augmentation of their navy cannot be very rapid.
Bahia carries on a very extensive commerce, both with the mother country, with the ether provinces on the coast, and with the interior. From the different parts of its own government alone, eight hundred laun ches and sumacks daily enter the harbour, bringing the various productions of the neighbouring territories. It is the centre of the trade of all these districts, and the medium through which they transmit and receive com modities to and from the mother country. About fifty vessels are employed in the trade between Lisbon and Oporto, bringing from thence provisions, and every kind of European commodity, and carrying in return cotton, sugars, coffee, tobacco, dying woods, and medi cinal roots. The trade to the more distant provinces of the colony is also considerable, particularly that to the southern province of Rio Grande. The European commodities carried thither, are disposed of, not only to the Portuguese inhabitants, but also to the Spaniards of Maldonado and Monte Video ; and the vessels in return bring dried beef and hides, the produce of the vast meadows which extend in the neighbourhood of those settlements.
Besides the capital, this province contains Cochoria, finely situated on the banks of a river, fifteen leagues in the interior, and the mart for the northern gold mines of Brasil. It contains also Tagoaripe, Amoro Jacobina, Do Sitis, and San Francisco, at each of which a considerable trade is carried on.
Between Fernambuco and Bahia Proper is a small province, called Sergippe. It is thinly inhabited, and little known to Europeans. The capital of the same name, is situated on the Rio Real, and sends maize and cotton to Bahia.
On the south of Bahia, is another small province called Dos llheos, from a number of islands which cover the entrance of the bay on which it is situated. It is much less cultivated than Bahia, and supplies the capi tal with little except timber. The banks of the Rio Grande, which separates it from Porto Seguro, are bordered with immense forests, producing the best tim ber of Brasil, whence the royal navy derives its chief supplies. An expedition sent up this river pursued its
course for fifteen days, without meeting with bar or ob struction of any kind.
To the south of Dos Ilheos lies the province of Porto Seguro. This province is equal in fertility and beauty to Bahia, but the cultivation is much inferior, being chiefly confined to the banks of the river on which the capital is situated. The harbour of Porto Seguro is formed by an opening in that ledge of rocks which runs along all this part of the Brasilian coast. The depth of water at the entrance is twenty feet, but in the interior twelve forms the average. The inhabitants here give themselves up to more than the usual share of Portu guese indolence and languor. Fish, though abundant on the coast, is scarcely to be had fresh, and the inhabi tants depend chiefly upon the importation of that article salted. Although the savannahs in the country behind are overrun with cattle, beef is excessively scarce. Near the abrolhos, or rocks, indeed, islands, which lie off the coast, a fish resembling salmon is caught for the Bahia market : and this furnishes employment to about 3000 people. Southward from Porto Seguro, the coast is extremely neglected, till we arrive at the river Care vellos, where there is a good harbour, though the en trance is rather dangerous. The banks of this river form the store, whence manioc, an essential article in the sub sistence of Brasil, is chiefly supplied.
With Porto Seguro terminates the government of Bahia ; and we come then to that, which has now taken the lead among all the rest,—the government of Rio Janeiro. It is not less favoured by nature than the other districts ; but so long as St Salvador continued to be the capital, it experienced a comparative neglect. The views of the government, however, were greatly changed, when, about the beginning of last century, the gold and diamond mines were discbvered in the districts hn mediately behind it. Rio Janeiro then rose at once to the first importance ; and on the discovery of its admira ble harbour, the seat of government was transferred thi ther. This harbour is perhaps the finest in the whole world. Like that of Porto Seguro, it is formed by a narrow opening in the ledge or rocks which walls all this part of the coast. When the mariner has entered, however, he is struck with one of the most magnificent spectacles in the whole compass of nature ; a bay an hundred miles in circumference, surrounded with a vast amphitheatre of mountains, which rise in every varied form, and are covered with eternal verdure. Vessels of all dimensions may enter and repose with perfect se curity in every part of this immense basin. The city, which is called St Sebastian, is situated upon a hill on the north eastern side of the bay. It is better built than St Salvador. The streets are straight ; the houses generally of two stories, and many of them handsome. The town contains 60,000 inhabitants. The province is not yet so well cultivated as Bahia ; but its capacities are equal, and it is rapidly improving.