ntures the whole line of Brazilian coast, from the mouth of
La Plata to the mouth of the Amazon, had become studded at intervals
with Portuguese settlements, in all of which law and justice were
administered, however inadequately. It is worthy of observation, that
Brazil was the first colony founded in America upon an agricultural
principle, for until then the precious metals were the exclusive
attraction. Sufficient capital was attracted between the year 1531 (in
which De Sousa founded the first captaincy) and the year 1548 to render
these colonies an object of importance to the mother country. Their
organization, however, in regard to their means of defence against both
external aggression and internal violence, was extremely defective.
Their territories were surrounded and partly occupied by large tribes of
savages. Behind them the Spaniards, who had an establishment at
Asuncion, had penetrated almost to the sources of the waters of
Paraguay, and had succeeded in establishing communication with Peru.
Orellana, on the other hand, setting out from Peru, had crossed the
mountains and sailed down the Amazon. Nor had the French abandoned their
hopes of effecting an establishment on the coast.

The obvious remedy for these evils was to concentrate the executive
power, to render the petty chiefs amenable to one tribunal, and to
confide the management of the defensive force to one hand. In order to
this the powers of the several captains were revoked, whilst their
property in their grants was reserved to them. A governor-general was
appointed, with full powers, civil and criminal. The judicial and
financial functions in each province were vested in the _Ouvidor_, whose
authority in the college of finance was second only to that of the
governor. Every colonist was enrolled either in the _Milicias_ or
_Ordenanzas_. The former were obliged to serve beyond the boundaries of
the province, the latter only at home. The chief cities received
municipal constitutions, as in Portugal. Thome de Sousa was the first
person nominated to the important post of governor-general. He was
instructed to build a strong city in Bahia and to establish there the
seat of his government. In pursuance of his commission he arrived at
Bahia in April 1549, with a fleet of six vessels, on board of which were
three hundred and twenty persons in the king's pay, four hundred
convicts and about three hundred free colonists. Care had been taken for
the spiritual