Ch.III. south AMERICA. 33^ 



and return with their acqiiifitions the fame way. 

 Thofe Bandeiras likewife which go up the country by 

 the way of Rio Grande, or Rio Doce, often return by 

 this route to avoid the officers, who are ftationed at 

 the mouths of the laft mentioned rivers. As I never 

 happened to fail into any of the rivers or harbours be- 

 tween this and Rio de la Plata, but fuch as have been 

 defcribed by other writers, except Rio Doce, I ihall 

 conclude with a remark or two concerning this place. 

 I believe it to be one of the moft rapid itreams in the 

 world ; the current is fo ftrong, that the water may be 

 taken up frefh at the diftance of a league from the 

 mouth of the river. Many veiTels built upon this 

 river have failed out of it, but none ever returned ; as 

 it would be impoíTible to ftem the current. There 

 are many plantations on the banks of it, the planters 

 of which convey their produce by land to a branch of 

 the Janeiro, by which, with the help of canoes, they 

 fend their goods to the city. 



In the back fettlcmcnts, from Rio Grande to Rio 

 Doce, the inhabitants are much haralTcd by the 

 Indians, who often maflacre the planters, and plunder 

 their plantations. 



Th£se few remarks will not be difagreeable, I hope, 

 to the readers of a voyage, which gives undoubtedly 

 the moft authentic account we have of South America. 

 I own they have liide pretenfion to the beauty and 

 accuracy of expreíTion fo confpicuous in this excellent 

 performance, but they have the merit of novelty to 

 recommend them. ¡Such as they are, unbiaiTed by in- 

 tereft or any private view, 1 ¡í^wg them to the public, 

 together with fuch other remarks, as, upon a very 

 careful perufal of the work, I have inferred, by way of 

 notes, at the requeft of the proprietor. 



Fcjc:ge 



