Villa Nova, (de St. Joze d’ el Rey,) created a town in 1772, is two leagues to the south-west of Macacu, and a mile distant from the same river. St. Barnabe was its original name when a village, and its first inhabitants were Indians, with whose descendants a great many Portuguese are now intermixed. Those Indians are celebrated for making mats; a contiguous piece of ground supplying them with abundant materials. About four miles to the eastward, is the parish of St. Joao d’Itaborahy, in a situation something elevated, with a fine aspect, and near the right bank of the river Vargé, which here takes the name of this parish, more commonly designated by the appellation of Tapacora. Mandioca, feijao, and sugar, are the principal productions, besides a small portion of rice, Indian-corn, and coffee. The parish of Our Lady of Conceiçao[15] is six leagues east from Macacu, approximating the left margin of the small river Bonito; and the inhabitants are farmers of mandioca, feijao, Indian corn, sugar, and some rice. Two leagues to the north-east of Macacu, betwixt the two small rivers of Pinto and Entulho, is situated the parish of Santissima Trinidade, (Holy Trinity,) in a fertile country, the productions of which are, notwithstanding, confined to the necessaries of life. The parish of Tamby occupies an open country, near the left bank of the river Aldeia, about two miles south of Macacu, with a church of Our Lady of Desterro. About a mile to the east of the parish of Tamby, and within its district, is situated the port of Caixas, with a hermitage of Our Lady of Conceiçao, upon the right bank of the Aldeia not far from its confluence with the Macacu. This is the grand point from whence all the productions of the district of Tapacora, and the surrounding parishes, are embarked in boats for the capital, and more sugar is sent from hence than from all the other ports in the bay. About two leagues to the south-east of Villa Nova, and not far from the bay, is the parish of St. Gonçalo d’Amarante, on the right bank of the small river of that name. Its dwellers produce a large quantity of farinha, feijao, and Indian corn, with the superabundance of which, as well as that of coffee, sugar, and casaçha, much specie is introduced into the district.