Scientific Reviews. 27 



ings, took the bearings of the compass, made rough guesses at the 

 length of the reaches and breadth of the river, and such occasional 

 remarks as were connected with these subjects, which he has em- 

 bodied in some interesting tables. These observations he carried 

 on at a time when perseverance must have been a real virtue. 



At Tabitinga they presented their passports and credentials to 

 the commandante of the frontier, and received assurance of their 

 passage being facilitated. The accounts given at this place of the 

 ability and indefatigable perseverance of Drs. Spix and Martius, 

 even surpass what we have heard of the exertions of these na- 

 turalists. 



In their passage from this place to Egas they Avere deserted by 

 their crew of Indians, and were obliged to take the whole duties of 

 the boat upon themselves to the latter place, when they again ob- 

 tained some boatmen. 



At Santarem the regular progress of our travellers was stopped 

 by the arbitrary and foolish interference of a " commandante miU- 

 tar," who, upon the slightest and most unjustifiable pretences, ar- 

 rested Mr. Maw and his friend, neglected his credentials, and sub- 

 jected him to contemptuous and unmannerly treatment. We cannot 

 refer to this part of the transaction without a degree of pride in the 

 independence and determination Avhich never fails to characterize 

 the conduct of our countrymen, and more particularly of our naval 

 officers, under similar diliiculties ; and throughout this trial of his 

 patience, Mr. Maw always behaved himself in a manner truly worthy 

 pf the government under which he holds a commission. It is al- 

 most needless to mention that on his arrival at Para he met with 

 ample satisfaction, and the commandante was dismissedfrom a situa- 

 tion in which he could abuse an iU-merited power. 



Of the immense province of Para, our author thinks it is scarce- 

 ly possible to say more than the Brazilians themselves say of it, 

 that it is " muy, muy rico," very, very rich ; adding that there is, 

 perhaps, no part of the world, certainly no part of any Christian go- 

 vernment's territory, in a more barbarous condition, " The branco 

 system," Mr. Maw remarks, " as far as concerns the Indians, is a sys- 

 tem of horror, and tends greatly to detract from the merit of that cha- 

 racter for enterprize which otherwise confers honour on the Portu- 

 guese name in more than one quarter of the globe, and most especially 

 in Brazil. From the limited population of Portugal, the manner in 

 .which the Portuguese colonies are said to have been first established, 

 namely, by turning convicts adrift amongst the natives, was not like- 

 ly to improve the moral character of the Indians ; and the horrible 

 effects of a corresponding system, although I do not mean to say that 

 .the present brancos were convicts, is now felt in the province of Para. 

 On every account, — justice and humanity to the wretched Indians, 

 •—interest to the brancos, — safety to the government, — and the im- 

 provement of mankind generally, it is, I am confident, most desir- 

 able that such a system should cease to exist." 



Upon the whole, we are inclined to think highly of Mr Maw's 



