CHAPTER IX. 



s. FRANCISCO BASIN AND EAST SLOPE OF THE PLATEAUX. 



States of Minas Gekaes, Bahta, Sergipe, and Espikito Santo. 



jBOIJT half of this region is comprised within the S. Francisco basin, 

 a vast depression of oval shape analogous to that of the twin rivers 

 Araguaya and Tocantins, of nearly the same size. Only the S. 

 Francisco does not maintain its normal direction from north to 

 south, but trends round to the east, falling into the Atlantic at 

 the point where the coast-line begins to turn south-west below the Pernambuco 

 promontory. By this change in its course the main artery, rising in the zone of 

 elevated plateaux, gives a certain unity to both of the natural regions which it 

 traverses. 



Farther south the crests of the divide form a sharp limit between the fluvial 

 basin and the slopes facing the Atlantic. But viewed as a whole, the coastlands 

 may be regarded simply as the seaward escarpments of the plateaux watered by 

 the S. Francisco. But the political frontiers coincide only to a certain extent with 

 their natural limits. In the south the State of Minas Geraes encroaches con- 

 siderably on the Parana slope, as well as on the E,io Doce basin towards Espirito 

 Santo or Rio de Janeiro. 



But however limited in extent, the region of the S. Francisco combined with 

 that of the Atlantic slopes is the most important section of the republic. Minas 

 Geraes (" General Mines "), one of its four political divisions, is a magnificent 

 coutitry with natural resources rendering it independent of the whole world. 

 Although not the largest, it is by far the most populous State in Brazil, and even 

 from the historic point it may claim the first rank. After enriching Portugal 

 beyond all the other colonies, ii was the first to strike a blow for national inde- 

 pendence, and such is its coumianding position that proposals have several times 

 been made to break it up into two or more separate States. 



Bahia, although of less importance than Minas Geraes, takes the second place 

 in the republic for population, and its capital is surpassed by Rio de Janeiro alone 

 in size and commercial activity. Sergipe, despite the small extent of its territory, 

 takes more than its share in the general trade of the country, and even Espirito 



