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Bahia: Sometimes called San Salvador, was founded in 1549. The city is divided into two parts, the upper part, or Citital Alta, is built on a ridge, and access is had to it from the lower part, or Citital Boxa, by elevators, and an inclined railway; also by inclined streets for driving. The principal merchants have their residences in the upper town, while in the lower, there are most of the warehouse and stores, handling inland produce and foreign goods. The Cathedral, built of marble in the upper town, is said to be the handsomest building of its kind in Brazil. The palaces of the Archbishop and the Governor, and the theater, are among the best buildings in the city. The city has about 162,000 inhabitants, counting the suburbs; the majority are negro, and a mixture of negro and Portuguese, and the minority pure Portuguese forming the higher class of society. The Portuguese language is spoken. Very few foreigners live in the city. The city has not many modern improvements. No electric lights, but there is a line of electric cars, not very well-equipped. The money is in a sad state of depreciation, its value fluctuates several times a day according to cable advices from London. Paper money is all that is in circulation. Their paper money is made by the American Banknote Co of New York. 

The commerce of Bahia, consists chiefly of exports of sugar, cotton, rum, tobacco, coffee, hides and cocoa; uncut stones of amethyst and topaz. They import manufactured articles, such as flour, salt, iron, glass, wines, etc. The city is defended by several forts – small ones – the first is that on San Antonio Point – A little N'd are Santa Maria and St. Diego. At the SW extremity of the city is Fort Gamboa, with that of San Pedro; and a little farther up the harbor is the insulated, circular Fort San Marcello du Mar, protecting the Navy Yard. There are other smaller batteries, along the beach and one on Mount Serrat point.