120 



PROVINCE OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL. 



leagues, with clear weather, can but just distinguish the entrance to the port 

 in 32° 4', where the ebbing and flowing of the water generally produce an 

 agitated sea, rendering the shoals variable, so that no ship can or should enter 

 the port without a well experienced person, acquainted with the state of the 

 bar. 



The lake of Patos, which took its name from a nation of Indians now un- 

 known, is the largest in the Brazil, being one hundred and fifty miles in length 

 from north-east to south-west, parallel with the coast, and thirty-five at its 

 greatest width, with sufficient depth for vessels of a middling size ; it has, 

 however, some very dangerous shoals. The water is salt in the southern part, 

 with the banks generally flat. It is the recipient of almost all the currents 

 which water the northern and eastern portion of the province, and whose 

 principal embouchures are the Jacuhy on the north, and the river de St. 

 Gon(^"alo on the south. The lake Mirim, which signifies " small," compared with 

 the other, is ninety miles in length, and twenty-five at its greatest width ; this 

 also extends along the coast, and discharges into the lake Patos, by a channel, 

 fifty miles long, wide, handsome, and navigable, and constituting the aforesaid 

 river de St. Gonqalo. The river Saboyaty, after having collected many others, 

 flows, in a considerable stream, into the southern extremity of the lake Mirim, 

 and is navigable for many leagues. The small river Chuy disembogues almost 

 in the mid dje of the same lake ; and, further to the north, the river Jaguaron, 

 which has its source near the lake Formoza, (beautiful.) It has a course of 

 about eighty miles, and eighteen of navigation. The river Piratirim which has 

 its origin also near the lake Formoza, empties itself about the middle of the 

 St. Gon^alo, after a course of thirty leagues, affording ten miles of naviga- 

 tion. The river Pellotas, rising in the serra of the Tappes, enters the St. 

 Gon^alo near its mouth, and admits of small vessels for five leagues. Pass- 

 ing the embouchure of the St. Gon9alo, the first river met with on the lake 

 Patos is the Contagem, which is about fourteen leagues in extent. The 

 second is the Correntes. The third is the Cangu^u, navigable for some leagues. 

 The fourth runs under the name of St. Louren^o. The fifth denominated 

 Boqueirao, and the least of all, originates, like the others, in the Serra dos 

 Tappes. Above the Boqueirao, in the middle of the lake of Patos, the Cama- 

 puan empties itself by five mouths, formed by four islands, the largest of which 

 is half a league in circumference. It flows from the Great Cochilha by a rapid 

 course of nearly one hundred miles, amongst rocks and stones, admitting 

 navigation only for a distance of four leagues, and higher up presenting con- 



