it was the interest in this very wood, that rapidly brought many settlers from the north - arraial do cabo also has the distinction of being one of the first settlement locations in brazil.

its development, was delayed in part by pirates and the danger they posed to both shipping and permanent settlements - the french were also frequent visitors to this area and built forts to protect the lumbering operations they established.

as of 1540, in the region of arraial do cabo, the french colonists were the most active settlers in the trade of pau brasil,  since the portuguese controlled the northeastern shore of the continent.