The height of the lands, formed in the center of this vast 
valley, hinders the tributary from remaining in a regular channel, 
and the waters escaping from both sides ramify in a labyrinth of 
rivers and false rivers. The lateral branches follow in the zones 
of the lakes, to the confluence of the Taquary and Miranda 
Rivers, which descend from the mountains on the East. These 
receive in the upper region, a tributary called the Coxim, which 
travelers consider one of the most picturesque rivers of Brazil. 
It is curious to see, in some places, the waters of the Coxim 
crowded between perpendicular walls 50 meters in height and 
the small vessels floating on their bosom at the bottom of an 
opening not more than 10 or 12 meters in width. 
THE CLIMATE 
The climate of Matto Grosso is relatively warm in the lower 
parts and those overflowed by the high waters of the Paraguay 
and other rivers. In the region of the tablelands the climate 
is cool and healthy. The movement of the air columns is de- 
termined by the open passage way between the Andes moun- 
tains and the highlands of Brazil, as well as in the center of the 
South American continent, and are held by it. The warm winds, 
coming from the region of the Amazon, are succeeded in the 
Winter time by the winds which blow from the cool pampas. 
In the high parts of the circle of hills and mountains which sur- 
round the tablelands of Matto Grosso, the cold goes below the 
freezing point. The copious rains brought by the cooling winds 
refresh the central tablelands of Brazil and then dash themselves 
against the sides of the Andes. They fall with great regularity 
in the Summer and are frequently accompanied by thunder- 
storms. According to observations taken by some, the annual 
fall of water is 3 meters, and in Cuyaba about 135 days of the 
ordinary year are rainy ones. 
ITS SITUATION 
The State of Matto Grosso, from its geographical situation 
in the Continent of South America, placed at the point of separa- 
tion of the two great basins of Brazil, contains at the same time 
the flowers and faunae of the Amazon and Plata regions. Never- 
theless, the tropical flora predominates with its infinite variety 
of vegetable forms in all the forest regions, that is to say, along 
the banks of the rivers, and among the famous species found 
along the shores of the River-Sea, there are few which are not 
found in the region of the Upper Cuaporé, and specimens of 
which may not be seen. 
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