To those who are interested in the history of Brazil, a slight sketch of the life of so extraordinary a man as the Barão de Parnahiba, may not be uninteresting, as his name is intimately connected with the establishment of the independence of the northern provinces. His father was a native of the Azores, and was very poor when he arrived in Brazil, but he soon married a lady possessed of a small property; of the family resulting from this union, the subject of this notice was the eldest, being born in the year 1776. His only education consisted in learning to read and write, and in acquiring a slight knowledge of arithmetic. His first occupation was that of a cowherd (vaqueiro) to his father, who died when he was only twenty years of age, leaving him a fazenda worth about 1,500 cruzados (£200 sterling); during his childhood he was brought up by a godmother, who at her death left him another fazenda of nearly equal value. After his father’s death, not content with the occupation of vaqueiro, he began to purchase cattle with the view of taking them to Bahia for sale, to which place he continued to go every year, till about twenty-five years ago, although from that period up to the present, he has never failed to send annually a drove of cattle to the same market. Shortly after his father’s death he was enlisted, as was then the custom, into the cavalry militia; here he was soon advanced to the post of corporal which he held for a long time; he was next elevated to the rank of ensign, and about the same time was appointed treasurer of the national rents. Occupied in this manner, he continued till the period of the declaration of independence, when his name had acquired but little weight in the province, being better known for his cunning disposition and uncouth manners, than for any more eminent qualities. It was his custom to bestow gifts and attentions, and be very obsequious to all persons high in authority, such as governors, judges, &c., always providing men, horses, and provisions to bring them up from the coast. In this manner he ingratiated himself in their favour, and after their arrival was always their obedient servant; and without regard to their line of politics was ever a staunch supporter of their measures. He made it his endeavour on all occasions to gain the good opinions of the religious part of the community, by showing himself to be a great friend to all that belonged to the church, on which account he was anxious to be appointed director of its festivals, on which he did not hesitate to spend large sums, in this manner obtaining the good will and friendship of the priesthood.