a large country of South America, being the easternmost part of that continent, lying between the equinoctial line and the tropic of Capricorn. It is about 1560 miles in length, and 1000 in breadth; but, measuring along the coast, it is 2000 miles long, and is bordered with mountains that open from time to time, and form good harbours where vessels may lie in safety. It was accidentally discovered by the Portuguese in 1500. Emanuel king of Portugal had equipped a squadron of 13 sail, carrying 1200 soldiers and sailors destined for the East Indies, under the conduct of Peter Alvarez Cabral. This admiral, quitting Lisbon on the 9th of March 1500, struck out to sea to avoid the coast of Guinea, and steered his course southward, that he might the more easily turn the Cape of Good Hope, which projects a good way into the ocean. On the 24th of April, he got sight of the continent of South America, which he judged to be a large island at some distance from the coast of Africa. Coasting along for some time, he ventured to send a boat on shore; and was astonished to observe the inhabitants entirely different from the Africans in features, hair, and complexion. It was found, however, impracticable to seize upon any of the Indians, who retired with great celerity to the mountains on the approach of the Portuguese; yet, as the sailors had discovered a good harbour, the admiral thought proper to come to an anchor, and called the bay Puerto Seguro. Next day he sent another boat on shore, and had the good fortune to lay hold on two of the natives, whom he clothed and treated kindly, and then dismissed, to make a proper report to their countrymen. The stratagem had the desired effect. The Indians, having heard the relation of the prisoners, immediately crowded to the shore, singing, dancing, and sounding horns of different kinds; which induced Cabral to land, and take solemn possession in the name of his Portuguese majesty.

As soon as the court of Lisbon had ordered a survey to be taken of the harbours, bays, rivers, and coasts of Brazil, and was convinced that the country afforded neither gold nor silver, they held it in such contempt, that they sent thither none but condemned criminals and abandoned women. Two ships were sent every year from Portugal, to carry the refuse of the kingdom to this new world, and to bring home parrots and woods for the dyers and cabinet-makers. Ginger was afterwards added; but soon after prohibited, lest it should interfere with the sale of the same article from India.

In 1548, the Jews, many of whom had taken refuge in Portugal, beginning to be persecuted by the inquisition, were stripped of their possessions, and banished to Brazil. Here, however, they were not entirely forsaken. Many of them found kind relations and faithful friends; others, who were known to be men of probity and understanding, obtained money in advance from merchants of different nations with whom they had formerly had transactions. By the affluence of some enterprising men, they were enabled to cultivate sugar-canes, which they first procured from the island of Madeira. Sugar, which till then had been used only in medicine, became an article of luxury. Princes and great men were all eager to procure themselves this new species of indulgence. This circumstance proved favourable to Brazil, and enabled it to extend its sugar plantations. The court of Lisbon, notwithstanding its prejudices, began to be sensible, that a colony might be beneficial to the mother-country, without producing gold or silver; and this settlement, which had been wholly left to the capricious management of the colonists, was now thought to deserve some kind of attention; and accordingly Thomas de Souza was sent thither, in 1549, to regulate and superintend it.

This able governor began by reducing these men, who had always lived in a state of anarchy, into proper subordination, and bringing their scattered plantations closer together; after which he applied himself to acquire some information respecting the natives, with whom he knew he must be incessantly engaged either in traffic or war. This, it was no easy matter to accomplish. Brazil was full of small nations, some of which inhabited the forests, and others lived in the plains and along the rivers. Some had settled habitations; but the greater number of them led a roving life, and most of them had no intercourse with each other. It is not to be supposed that such a people would be at all disposed to submit to the yoke which the Portuguese wanted to put upon them on their arrival. At first they only declined all intercourse with these strangers; but finding themselves pursued in order to be made slaves, and to be employed in the labours of the field, they took the resolution to murder and devour all the Europeans they could seize upon. The friends and relations of the savages that were taken prisoners, also ventured to make frequent attempts to rescue them, and were sometimes successful; so that the Portuguese were forced to attend to the double employments of labour and war.

Souza did not bring a sufficient number of forces to change the situation of affairs. Indeed, by building San Salvador, he gave a centre to the colony; but the honour of settling, extending, and making it really useful to the mother-country, was reserved for the Jesuits who attended him. These men, who for their arts of insinuation and address have been equalled by none, dispersed themselves among the Indians. When any of the missionaries were murdered, they were immediately replaced by others; and seeming to be inspired only with sentiments of peace and charity, the Indians, in process of time, grew not only familiar but passionately fond of them. As the missionaries were too few in number to transact all the business themselves, they frequently deputed some of the most intelligent Indians in their stead. These men having distributed hatchets, knives, and looking-glasses, among the savages they met with, represented the Portuguese as a harmless, humane, and good sort of people.

The prosperity of the colony of Brazil, which was visible to all Europe, excited the envy of the French, Spaniards, and Dutch successively. The latter, indeed, bid fairest for the conquest of the whole. Their admiral Henry Lonk arrived, in the beginning of the year 1630, with 46 men of war, on the coast of Fernambucca, one of the largest and best fortified captainships of these parts. He reduced it after several obstinate engagements, in which he was always victorious. The troops he left behind subdued the captainships of Temaraca, Pareiba, and Rio Grande, in the years 1633, 1634, and 1635. These, as well as Fernambucca, furnished annually a large quantity of sugar, a great deal of wood for dyeing, and other commodities. The Hollander was so elated with the acquisition of this wealth, which flowed to Amsterdam instead of Lisbon, that they determined to conquer all the Brazils, and entrusted Maurice of Nassau with the conduct of this enterprise. That general reached the place of his destination in the beginning of the year 1637. He found the soldiers so well disciplined, the commanders such experienced men, and so much readiness in all to engage, that he directly took the field. He was successively opposed by Albuquerque, Banjola, Lewis Rocca de Borgia, and the Brazilian Cameron, the idol of his people, passionately fond of the Portuguese, brave, active, cunning, and who wanted no qualification necessary for a general, but to have learned the art of war under able commanders. These several chiefs exerted their utmost efforts to defend the possessions that were under their protection; but their endeavours proved ineffectual. The Dutch seized upon the captainships of Siara, Sereippe, and the greater part of that of Bahia. Seven of the 15 provinces which composed the colony had already submitted to them, and they flattered themselves that one or two campaigns would make them masters of the rest of their enemies possessions in that part of America; when they were suddenly checked by the revolution happening on the banishment of Philip IV, and placing the Duke of Braganza on the throne. After this, the Portuguese recovering their spirits, soon drove the Dutch out of Brazil, and have continued matters of it ever since.

The country of Brazil is divided into the following provinces, viz. Paria, Maragnano, Siara, Rio Grande, Pareiba, Tamarica, Fernambucca, Sereippe, Bahia, Porto Seguro, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Angra, St Vincent, and Del Rey. See these articles.

The first aspect of the country from the sea is rather unfavourable, as it appears high, rough, and unequal; but, on a more narrow inspection, nothing can be more delightful, the eminences being covered with woods, and the valleys and savannahs with the most refreshing verdure. In so vast a tract of land, it cannot be imagined that the climate will be found at all equal, or the seafans uniform. The northern provinces are subject to heavy rains and variable winds, like other countries under the same parallels. Tornadoes, storms, and the utmost fury of the elements, wreak their vengeance here; while the southerly regions are blest with all the comforts which a fine fertile soil and temperate climate can afford. In some of the provinces, the heat of the climate is thought to prove favourable to the generation of a great variety of poisonous reptiles; some of which, as the liboya, or roebuck snake, are said to extend to the length of 30 feet, and to be two or three yards in circumference. The rattlesnake, and other reptiles of the same kind, grow likewise to an enormous size; and the serpent called ibiboboka is affirmed to be seven yards long, and half a yard in circumference, possessed too of a poison instantaneously fatal to the human race. Here also are scorpions, ant bears, tygers or mandillos, porcupines, janoveras, and an animal called tapirajon, which is the production of a bull and an ass, having a great resemblance to both. No country on earth affords a greater number of beautiful birds, nor variety of the most exquisite fruits; but the chief commodities are Brazil-wood, ebony, dyeing woods, ambergris, rosin, balsams, indigo, sweetmeats, sugar, tobacco, gold, diamonds, beautiful pebbles, crystal, emeralds, jasper, and other precious stones; in all which the Portuguese carry on such an amazing trade, as may justly be reputed the support, and indeed the vital fountain, of the mother-country. The gold and diamond mines are but a recent discovery: they were first opened in the year 1681; and have since yielded above five millions Sterling annually, of which sum a fifth belongs to the crown. So plentiful are diamonds in this country, that the court of Portugal hath found it necessary to restrain their importation, to prevent too great a diminution of their value. They are neither so hard nor so clear as those of the East Indies, nor do they sparkle so much, but they are whiter. The Brazilian diamonds are sold ten per cent. cheaper than the Oriental ones, supposing the weights to be equal. The largest diamond in the world was sent from Brazil to the king of Portugal. It weighs 1680 carats, or 12½ ounces; and has been valued at £56,787,500. Some skilful lapidaries, however, are of opinion that this supposed diamond is only a topaz; in which case a very great abatement must be made in its value. The crown-revenue arising from this colony amounts to two millions Sterling in gold, if we may credit some late writers, besides the duties and custom. customs on merchandise imported from that quarter. This indeed is more than a fifth of the precious metal produced by the mines; but, every other consequent advantage considered, it probably does not much exceed the truth. The excessive confluence of people to the Brazil colonies, as well from other countries as from Portugal, not only enlarges the imports of gold, but, what is of infinitely more importance to Europe in general, the exportation of the manufactures of this hemisphere; of which the principal are the following. Great Britain sends woollen manufactures; such as fine broad medley cloths, fine Spanish cloths, scarlet and black cloths; ferges, duroys, druggets, sagathies, stalloons, camblets, and Norwich stuffs; black Colchester bays; saxes, and perpetuans called long elks; hats, stockings, and gloves. Holland, Germany, and France, chiefly export fine hollands, bone-lace, and fine thread; silk manufactures, pepper, lead, block tin, and other articles, are also sent from different countries. Besides the particulars already specified, England likewise trades with Portugal, for the use of the Brazils, in copper and brass, wrought and unwrought pewter, and all kinds of hardware: all which articles have so enlarged the Portuguese trade, that, instead of 12 ships usually employed in the Brazil commerce, there are now never fewer than 100 sail of large vessels constantly going and returning to those colonies. To all this may be added the vast slave-trade carried on with the coast of Africa for the use of the Brazil colonies; which, we may believe, employs a great number of shipping, from the multitude of slaves that are annually transported. Indeed the commerce of Brazil alone is sufficient to raise Portugal to a considerable height of naval power, as it maintains a constant nursery of seamen: yet a certain infatuation in the policy of the country has prevented that effect even amidst all these extraordinary advantages. All the ships in this trade, being under the direction of the government, have their appointed seasons of going and returning, under convoy of a certain number of men of war: nor can a single ship clear out or go, except with the fleet, but by a special licence from the king, which is seldom granted; though it is easily determined, that such restrictions can prove no way beneficial to the general commerce, though possibly the crown-revenue may be better guarded thereby. The fleets fail in the following order, and at the following stated periods: That to Rio de Janeiro sails in January; the fleet to Bahia, or the bay of All Saints, in February; and the third fleet, to Fernambucca, in the month of March.

BRASIL-Wood, or Brazil-wood, an American wood of a red colour, and very heavy. It is denominated variously, according to the places from whence it is brought: Thus we have brazil of Fernambucca, Japan, Lamon, &c. For its description, &c. see CASSALFINA.