PERNAMBUCO. a seaport in Brazil, situated in 8' 3' S. lat., 34' 51' W. long. It is the collective name of two town., Recife and 011inda, nearly 3 miles distant from one another. It gives title to a bishop, and is the capital of the province of the same name. The Citate do Recife consists of three different parts, united to each other by bridges, called Bairro do Recife, Bairro de Sao Antonio, and Bairro de P,oa Vista. The Ilairro do Recife is built on the south-eastern extremity of • low and asndy peninsula formed by the mouths of two small rivers, the Capibaribe on the south, and the Bib eribe on the nnrtha being contiguous to the harbour, it is the seat of the commerce. The harbour is formed by a recite, or chain of reefs, which runs parallel to the shore and about 20 yards from it, and resembles a largo flat wall, elevated about 6 feet above low-water mark. This reef is interrupted by a narrow break which forms the entrance to the port, north of the northern extremity of Recife, and inside the reef, vessels are completely sheltered by a shoal. The town is indifferently built, and the streets are narrow, but generally paved. The Rua das Cruzes, which is the only wide street, contains many suhstantial houses. The
treasury and the governor's palace ere situated in San Antonio. As the tide enters the rivers some distance above the places where the three towns ere built, the water is not fit for drinkiug, but an aque duct has been constructed, by which water is brought from the Rio Prata, a distance of about 5 miles. Recife has a college, an episcopal palace, and an hospitaL 011inda is beautifully situated upon a cluster of eminences which are connected with the mountains farther west. It is rather well built, contains many convents, a cathedral, an episcopal palace, a botaniml garden of trees and exotic plants, mostly brought from Asia ; and a college. The population of Pernambuco as a whole probably amounts to 50,000. The exports of Pernambuco consist chiefly of cotton, sugar, rum, horns, hides, and dyewoods. The imports are cod, mostly from England, flour, wine, English cotton manufactures, and silks from France and China. The trade of the town has been increasing for several years.
The town of Pernambuco was taken by the Dutch in 1630, and remained in their possession to 1654. The Dutch did more for its public works in that short period than has been done ever since.