r-AZTL. 



BRAZIL. 



cotton, which are exported in large quantities. A considerable part 

 of the province is still covered with the primeval forests which abound 

 in valuable timber. Iron, lead, and antimony exist, but have not 

 been turned to much account. The southern and central districts and 

 most of the western, forming together perhaps half the province, are still 

 occupied by independent tribes. It has some good harbours, the best 

 of which are the bays of S. Jozd and of S. Marcos, formed by the 

 inland of Maranhao, which is 20 miles long from north-east to south- 



nd 15 miles in its greatest width. To the west of the Bay of S. 

 Marcos, the shores are skirted by a series of small and low islands up 

 to the Bay of Turyvassu, the limits of the province on the side of 

 Pard. Besides the capital, S. Luiz de Maranhao [MARAXHAO], it 

 contains two considerable places, Alcantara and Cachias. Alcantara 

 stands on rising ground on the west of the Bay of S. Marcos ; it has 

 a port capable of receiving large coasting vessels, is a large well-built 

 town, and carries on a considerable trade in the produce of the 

 country. In the vicinity are several salt-works. Cachias is situated 

 on the Itapicuru, where that river begins to be navigable for large 

 bargee, in a district which is productive in cotton. It was a thriving 



Before a rebellion which broke out in the province in 1839, 



which it suffered severely, having been forometime in posses- 

 t' the insurgents. Its population is now probably not above 



6000. 



15. Pard extends west from the Rio Turyvassu, nearly to the island 

 of Tupii ambarana, along the south bank of the Amazonas; and 

 farther to the south to the east banks of the Rio Madeira ; thus com- 

 prehending a large part of the plain of the Rio das Amazonas, and 

 also considerable portions of the table-land ; nearly the whole of it 

 is still in the possession of independent tribes, the European settle- 

 ments being very small and at great distances from one another. They 

 occur almost exclusively on the banks of the Rio das Amazonas, and 

 at or near the mouth of its larger affluents. Cultivation is in a very 

 backward condition, and millions of acres of the most fertile land in 

 the world are left in their natural state. Rice, cotton, sugar, and 

 hides arc exported. One of the most important articles of export is 

 caoutchouc, which is sold as it is obtained from the trees and manu- 

 factured into shoes. Cacao, garsaparilla, cloves, Brazil-nuts, and 

 n substances for dyes form considerable articles of export. The 

 fisheries of the coast and the rivers afford employment to many 

 persons. The capital PARA is situated on the Pant, a wide river formed 

 by the confluence of the Tocantins with the Tagipuru or southern arm 

 of the Amazonas. Jiraganza, population 5000, stands on the Cayte" 

 about 20 miles from the sea. It is an old town and a considerable 

 place; the port i often resorted to by the coasting vessels which 

 ;te between Maranhao and Pant. Cameta, or 1'izoza, the most 

 considerable town next to Pard, is situated on the left bank of the 

 Tocantins, above 30 miles from its mouth. It has considerable trade 

 with Pant and the province of Qoyaz : with the surrounding district, 

 which is remarkably fertile, it has nearly 20,000 inhabitants. Santarrm, 

 near the mouth of the Tapajos, is the depot of the numerous articles 

 of commerce collected in the forests around it and farther up the 

 Amazonas ; it is also visited by barges which navigate towards the 

 y farther west: population of the town and suburbs 10,000. 

 To this province belongs the island of Marajcj, or Ilhados Joannes, the 

 largest island of Brazil, extending above 90 miles from north to south, 

 am! at least 120 from cast to west. It contains about 10,000 square 

 : the population is under 20,000. The north shores are washed 

 by the sea, the west partly by the principal branch of the Rio 

 Amazonas and partly by the canal of Tagipuru, which unites the 

 great river to the R r o das Bocas, a fresh-water bay, at the eastern 

 extremity of which the Tocantins has its embouchure. This bay and 

 the Rio de Pard inclose the island on the south and east. Its surface 

 is level, and its own numerous rivers, some of which have a course of 

 7" or 80 miles, inundate, in the rainy season, considerable tracts on 

 the west and south side. About one-half of the island, consisting of 

 that part which borders on the ocean and the Rio de Pard, is nearly 

 without wood and pastured by great herds of cattle and horses or 

 cultivated ; the other half is covered with high trees and abundance 

 of underwood. 



16. Alto Amazonas is a new province formed out of those parts of 



rovince of Pard and the former province of S. Joz<5 do Rio 



', which lie to the north of the Amazonas; it includes conse- 



iy the whole of Brazil north of that river, frequently called 



inn Guyana. This wide tract is almost entirely occupied by 



independent tribes. The few European settlements only occur on the 



ea-coast and on the banks of the Amazonas and the Negro rivers. 



Barrti /-, //... AVyro, the capital, is situated on the left bank of the 



Kio N'cgro, and contains with the suburbs about 6000 inhabitants. It 



ha aome trade in Brazil-nuts, sarsaparilla, coffee, cocoa, and tobacco, 



which are raised in the neighbourhood. Macapa, population 5000, is 



at the mouth of th<: canal of Braganza, the principal branch of the Rio 



opposite i logo of islands which that great 



riviT 1 1. lo town with a fortress, and carries 



in thf produce of the country. Monttii, : /,-<-, 



"i tin- riv.T (!urii)':itijb.i, 7 miles from its 



junction with t' M^raMi! pl:u:r, and Ima some 



trade: tlic p.ipn mini. I Unpin*, formerly 



Panxit, population of the district 6000, i near the east mouth of the 



Rio Oriximina, which joins the Amazonas. In this place, at the 

 distance of about 700 miles from the sea, the Amazonas runs in one 

 channel, about 900 fathoms wide, and up to this point the tide 

 ascends. It has some commerce chiefly in cotton and cocoa. Taba- 

 tinga, on the Amazonas, situated near the boundary-line of Ecuador, 

 is a very small place. The island of Tupinambarana belongs to this 

 province. It lies near the right bank of the Amazonas, east of the 

 Rio Madeira, and is above 150 miles long. Between it and the main- 

 land on the south is a large, deep, and navigable channel, called canal 

 de Irarid, into which mauy rivers empty themselves. When the 

 Madeira is swollen, the current runs through this channel east ; but 

 in the dry seasons it runs partly in the Madeira, and partly to the 

 Amazonas, by different mouths. The island is low and covered with 

 impenetrable woods. Nearly in the middle it is divided by a narrow 

 strait called the Furo dos Ramos, which unites the Irarid with the 

 Amazonas. 



17. Matto Grosso (Great Forest) occupies the centre of South 

 America. It comprehends the greater portion of the table-land 

 between the Madeira and the Araguay, the tributary of the 

 Tocantins, the portion of the plain of the Upper Madeira belonging 

 to Brazil, the plain of the Paraguay, and the west portion of the 

 table-land of the Parand, up to the banks of that river. A great 

 portion of the table-land north of the Serra dos Vertentes seems to 

 be a desert of little value, of which the Campos dos Paricis are the 

 worst part; and no Europeans are settled here. The table-land of 

 the Parand is better, and has extensive pastures; but it is still 

 possessed by the independent Indians, more especially the Cajapos. 

 But on the river falling into the Paraguay there are numerous Euro- 

 pean settlements, though they are generally small. Diamonds and 

 gold are found in many places ; which circumstance gave rise to the 

 settlements, though the mines at present are poor or neglected. 

 The low country on both sides of the Paraguay is mostly occupied 

 by the Guaicurus. On the plain of the Upper Madeira, along the 

 banks of the Guapord, there are also many European settlements : 

 gold abounds here ; but the greater part of the country is possessed 

 by independent tribes. Cuyabd was made the capital of the province 

 in 1820 in place of Matto Grosso ; it is situated near the banks of the 

 Rio Cuyabd, an affluent of the Rio de S. Lnurenjo, which is a 

 tributary of the Paraguay, and is noted for the quantity of gold 

 which was found here hi the beginning of the last century. Cuyabd, 

 though the seat of the provincial government and an episcopal city, 

 is in appearance merely a village of poor houses. It has about 3000 

 inhabitants. Matto Grotto, formerly Villa Bella, a considerable town, 

 situated near the Guapord, has 15,000 inhabitants ; some important 

 mines are in its neighbourhood. Villa Maria, on the east bank of the 

 Paraguay, in a very fertile country, is a thriving town. 



18. Goyaz occupies the centre of the Brazilian table-land, including 

 the basin of the Tocantins to its confluence with the Araguay and 

 the countries on the east bank of the Araguay, together with the 

 hilly country on the Parnahyba, an affluent of the Parand. Euro- 

 pean settlements are common only on some of the upper branches of 

 the Tocantins and Araguay, where gold was found in abundance. 

 There are a few small settlements along the Tocantius up to its 

 confluence with the Araguay : but by far the greater portion of the 

 country is in possession of independent tribes ; among which the 

 Chjapos on the Parnahyba and the Chevantes between the Tocautiii.s 

 and Araguay are the most numerous. Goyaz, formerly Villa Boa, 

 the capital, situated on the Rio Vennelho, an affluent of the Araguay, 

 in a country rich in gold, contains the governor's palace, seven 

 churches, and some other public buildings, and about 7000 inhabit- 

 ants, ffoisa Smhora do Pildr, a considerable place near the ridge 

 which divides the affluents of the Tocantins from those of the 

 Araguay. is in the neighbourhood of some rich gold mines. Natim- 

 dade, a town 35 miles from the east bank of the Tocantins, population 

 about 2000, is the most commercial place of the province : it sends 

 its produce to Bahia. It contains four churches, but, as is so common 

 in the Brazilian towns, they are, though old, unfinished. 



19. Minas Geraes comprehends the east and, as it appears, most 

 elevated portion of the Brazilian table-land along the upper course of 

 the Rio de S. Francesco, together with the most northern part of the 

 table-land of the Parand. Almost every kind of metal is found in 

 this province. It is rich in gold, iron, copper, and diamonds : lead, 

 manganese, quicksilver, chrome, arsenic, platinum, bismuth, and anti- 

 mony are also found. In iron the province is perhaps richer than 

 any other part of the world. Gold is found, particularly in the upper 

 branches of the Francesco and its two affluents, the Paroapeba and 

 Rio das Velhas ; the mines are chiefly worked by English companies. 

 Diamonds are found in the Icquetiuhonha and Abaetd. The countries 

 about these rivers are well settled by Europeans, except the Abaetd ; 

 but a large portion of the province is possessed by Indian tribes. 

 Tup:f/t-s, aquamarines, garnets, amethysts, tourmalines, and chryso- 

 beryls aro found cliictly in Minas NOVIIH. Coffee, sugar, cotton, 

 maize, and tobacco are raised in considerable quantities, but the 

 agricultural resources of the province are but imperfectly developed. 

 Vast herds of cattle are pastured on the uplands. Ou.ro Preto, for- 

 merly Villa Rica, the capital of the province, is situated near the 

 Serra Itacolumi, in the midst of mountains rich in gold : it has 8000 

 inhnliitanto. Ouro Preto is one of the best looking cities in the 



