ese
adventurers entered the bay of All Saints, and had begun to trade with
the Indians, when the Portuguese commander, Cristovam Jaques, sailing
into the port, and examining all its coves, discovered them, and sunk
the ships, crews, and cargoes. About the same time, a young Portuguese
nobleman, who had been wrecked on the shoal off the entrance of the
harbour[5], and who had seen half his companions drowned, and half eaten
by the Indians, had contrived to conciliate the natives. He had saved a
musket and some powder from the wreck, and having taken an opportunity
of shooting a bird in the presence of the inhabitants, they called him
Caramuru, or the man of fire; and, as he accompanied them on an
expedition against their enemies the Tapuyas, he became a favourite,
married at least one Indian wife, and fixed his residence at the spot
now called Villa Velha, near an excellent spring, and not far from the
entrance to the bay.

[Note 5: I suppose that off St. Antonio da Barre.]

Caramuru, however, felt some natural longing to see his native land, and
accordingly seized the opportunity afforded by the arrival of a French
vessel, and taking his favourite wife, he went with her to France, where
they were well received by the court, the king and queen standing
sponsors at the baptism of the Brazilian lady, whose marriage was now
celebrated according to the Christian form. Caramuru, however, was not
permitted to go to Portugal; but by means of a young Portuguese student
at Paris[6], he communicated his situation to the King Joam III., and
pressed him to send an expedition to the bay of All Saints. Shortly
afterwards, Caramuru returned to Bahia, having agreed to freight two
ships with Brazil wood as the price of his passage, of the artillery of
the ships, and of the articles necessary for trading with the natives.

Still, however, as Brazil furnished neither gold, nor that rich commerce
which the Portuguese derived from their Indian trade, it was pretty much
left to itself for the first thirty years after its discovery; and then
the regulations adopted by the court were not, perhaps, the most
advantageous for the country. The coast was divided by Joam III. into
captaincies, many of which extended fifty leagues, and each captaincy
was made hereditary, and granted to any one who was willing to embark
with sufficient means in the adventure; and to these captains an
unlimited jurisdiction, both criminal and civil, was granted.

Th