PROVINCE OF RIO DE JANEIRO. 



37 



are navigable, and incorporate themselves with the river St. Joam, by its north- 

 ern margin. 



The river Guandu takes its name at the confluence of the St. Anna with the 

 das Lages, the courses of which are in an opposite direction to this point ; the 

 first issues from the Organ Mountains, near the heads of the river Piabanha, and 

 runs south-west till it encounters the other, which flows north-east from its 

 origin in the frontier serra of Ilha Grande. The Guandu passes the royal pa- 

 lace (ex-Jesuitical) of St. Cruz, and discharges itself by two mouths into the 

 bay of Marambaya. The early possessors of this part of the country, in order 

 to evitate the damage which they sustained by the inundations of this river, 

 submerging the extensive and fine campinhas (plains) of the southern part, 

 opened a trench of two miles long from it to the small river Taguahy, which 

 runs in a parallel direction, and by this mode discharged the excess of 

 water which the banks of the Guandu could not contain at the period of the 

 floods. The western mouth, or that of Taguahy, is little more than a league 

 distant from the proper one of the Guandu : barks navigate both. The river 

 Mambucaba, which is a fine river, even beyond the point where the tide reaches, 

 issues from the serra of Bocaina, and disembogues in front of the bar of 

 Cayrussu, 



Lakes. — Lakes are numerous in this province. The principal are situated 

 in the districts of Cape Frio and Goytacazes ; many of them are surrounded by 

 marshy lands, and none possess, in any point of view, the attractions peculiar 

 to such diffusions of inland water in Europe. The lake of Jacare-pagua, or 

 Jaracapauha, is narrow and about four leagues long, parallel with and very 

 near to the beach. It abounds with fish, receives some small streams, and 

 has an outlet to the sea at its eastern extremity. It is situated at the eastern 

 base of the picturesque and lofty mountain of the Gavea, about two leagues to 

 the west of the Sugar-Loaf. At its opposite base is the beautiful and highly 

 pleasing cascades of Tejuca. 



The lake of Roderigo de Freytas is of a circular form, and half a league 

 in diameter ; is about two miles distant from the bay of Bota-fogo, and five 

 from the capital. In its vicinity is the mother-church of the parish of St. Joam 

 Baptista ; also the royal manufactory of gunpowder, and a botanical garden 

 of trees and exotic plants. The tea plant is here cultivated, and, unquestion- 

 ably, would prosper in this climate with proper attention ; but this establish- 

 ment, upon the whole, is miserably neglected. The lake of Marica, which is 

 a.league and a half in length, from north-east to south-east, and little less in 



