other to the Town (of twenty ſix or twenty eight Arches) is half of Stone, made by the Dutch, who in their Time had little Shops and gaming Houſes on each Side for Recreation.
The Pavements alſo of the Town are in ſome Places of broad Tiles, the remaining Fragments of their Conqueſt. The Town has the outer Branch of the River behind it, and the Harbour before it, jetting into which latter are cloſe Keys for the weighing and receiving of Cuſtomage on Merchandize, and for the meeting and conferring of Merchants and Traders. The Houſes are ſtrong built, but homely, letticed like thoſe of Liſbon, for the Admiſſion of Air, without Cloſets, and what is worſe, Hearths; which makes their Cookery conſiſt all in frying and ſtewing upon Stoves; and that they do till the Fleſh become tender enough to ſhake it to Pieces, and one Knife is then thought ſufficient to ſerve a Table of half a Score.
The greateſt Inconvenience of Pernambuca is, that there is not one Publick-Houſe in it; ſo that Strangers are obliged to hire any ordinary one they can get, at a Guinea a Month: And others who come to tranſact Affairs of Importance, muſt come recommended, if it were only for the ſake of Privacy.
The Market is ſtocked well enough, Beef being at five Farthings per l. a Sheep or Goat at nine Shillings, a Turkey four Shillings, and Fowls two Shillings, the largeſt I ever ſaw, and may be procured much Cheaper, by hiring a Man to fetch them out of the Country. The deareſt in its kind is Water, which being fetch’d in Veſſels from Olinda, will not be put on Board in the Road under two Cruſado’s a Pipe.
The Portugueſe here are darker than thoſe of Europe, not only from a warmer Climate, but their many Intermarriages with the Negroes, who are
