TOPOGRAPHY OF AMAZONIA. 



121 



Itaituha, 275 miles from the confluence. Hence, the resources of the backwoods, 

 which yield vanilla, copahu, rubber, and olher valuable products, have been little 

 developed. But the magnificent tonka (tonga), identical with the sarrapia {dipteryx 

 odorata) of the Orinoco basin, grows in abundance in the Santarem district itself ^ 

 and from it is obtained a costly aromatic essence. 



On the west side of the neighbouring lagoon formed by the Tapajoz at the 



Fig. 43. — Alemqtjer— Santaeem. 

 Scale 1 : 800,000. 



West oFG^eenwlC^l 54'40' 



18 Miles. 



confluence stands the little town of VlUafranca. In the vicinity of this place 

 the Brazilian Government possesses a vast cacao plantation inherited from the 

 Jesuits. Higher up, on the same side of the river, some Americans from the 

 banks of the Mississippi founded an agricultural settlement after the War of Seces- 

 sion ; at present the station is largely inhabited by Brazilians. 



The south side of the Amazons below Santarem is the most thickly-settled 

 region in the whole basin. Here houses and plantations follow uninterruptedly for 



