TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 141 



source of which is not far off to the S. E. in the 

 mountain of Juruoca. The stream, which at this 

 place is not more than five toises in breadth, is 

 confined in a high rocky bed, surrounded by the 

 mofet pleasant campos and hills, and here forms 

 a very considerable cataract, the thundering noise 

 of which re-echoes in the valley. Immediately 

 above the cataract is a wooden bridge, which is in 

 constant danger of falling in the fury of the tor- 

 rent. At this place, called Ponte Nova, which must 

 be passed on the way from S. Paulo to the principal 

 places of Minas and Goyaz, a frontier custom- 

 house has been erected, in the neighbourhood of 

 which a few settlers have established themselves 

 The frequent frauds upon the customs, and par- 

 ticularly the exportation of gold dust and diamonds 

 from Minas, seem to have given occasion to this 

 precaution. When at some future tune, with the 

 increase of the population, the commerce of Minas 

 and Goyaz shall become moj-e considerable, this 

 point may become important as the staple place of 

 the navigation of the Rio Grande. From this 

 place you may not only proceed on the great river 

 towards the south, namely to Paraguay and thence 

 to Buenos Ay res, but it is possible, by means of 

 the rivers which fall into it on the north, to reach, 

 within a few miles. Villa Boa, the capital of Goyaz. 

 The branches of the Rio Grande, which descend 

 from the north, namely from the Montes Pyrenees, 

 and the neighbouring Serras de S. Martha and Es- 



