The Story of Brazilian Commerce 243
they needed Indian products far more; besides they were not
in demographic conditions to start a settlement; yet they
feared competition in the New World. Thus they were led to
postpone “the discovery” as long as possible and therefore
kept their mysterious knowledge of the Overseas in absolute
secret; a decree of King Manuel forbade the reproduction on
historical maps of certain details held as secrets of State. The
discovery of Cabral in 1500 was just the official discovery,
when mystery could not be kept any longer without danger
of being outwitted.
These facts explain why the occupation of the Terra de
Santa Cruz, the Land of the Holy Cross, did not thrill the
Portuguese or modify in any way their commercial activities.
For some time Brazil was to be “forgotten.” Yet something
did interest them in their new possession: the dye-wood,
called Brazil wood, a tincturing substance imported from the
Orient and known in Florence since the twelfth century as
verzino. It was so much more important than anything else
that the Christian faith was put aside, says a historian of the
time, “by diabolic arts that changed the name of Holy Cross,
so pious and devout, for the name of a tincture for dyeing
cloth.”
It was, however, a great moment in the history of man-
kind: the Revival of Learning and the Great Discoveries.
It brought also the compass, the printing press, and a com-
mercial revolution started by capitalism. Still, Portugal was
busy elsewhere; if not scientifically, at least politically un-
prepared, and not sufficiently equipped for so great a task
in the New World as the colonization and future exploration
of Brazil. That is why the exclusive trade of Brazil wood was
at once leased by the Crown to a rich Jewish merchant of
Lisbon, Don Fernando de Noronha, on fair and profitable
terms for the Royal Treasury.