Among other public buildings, I had almost forgot to mention an
observatory, which stands near the middle of the town, and is tolerably
well furnished with astronomical instruments. During our stay here, some
Spanish and Portuguese mathematicians were endeavouring to determine
the boundaries of the territories belonging to their respective crowns.
Unhappily, however, for the cause of science, these gentleman have not
hitherto been able to coincide in their accounts, so that very little
information on this head, to be depended upon, could be gained. How far
political motives may have caused this disagreement, I do not presume to
decide; though it deserves notice, that the Portuguese accuse the Abbee
de la Caille, who observed here by order of the King of France, of
having laid down the longitude of this place forty-five miles too much
to the eastward.
Until the year 1770, all the flour in the settlement was brought
from Europe; but since that time the inhabitants have made so rapid a
progress in raising grain, as to be able to supply themselves with it
abundantly.
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