PROVINCE OF ST. CATHARINA. 



155 



plain ill the winter, when its passage is attended with great labour and incon- 

 venience. 



To the north of the preceding is the bay of Giiaroupas, open to the north- 

 east, not so large, but sufficiently sheltered and capacious for the reception of 

 a squadron of ships ; the river Bupeba runs into it, as well as the two Pireques. 

 The intervening land of those two bays is a peninsula, which extends to the 

 sea, terminating in three points, and forming two small bays. 



Proceeding northward, the next river is the Cambory-Guassu, rapid at its 

 entrance into the sea, and being twenty fathoms in width. Nearly three leagues 

 farther is the embouchure of the great river Tajahy, which is little less than sixty 

 fathoms in width at the passage a short distance from the beach. It is the only 

 river met with on the road from Portalegre to St. Paulo that flows towards the 

 east ; the sumacas proceed up only three miles, launches and large canoes navi- 

 gate freely as far as the first fall. About one hundred and twenty yards above 

 it becomes navigable for the space of three days, by towing, and as many more 

 with the oar, to the next cataract. It rises between the river Negro and the 

 Correntes, (which run to westward.) In its neighbourhood there are many 

 small mountains. The principal confluents which enlarge it are the Rio de Luiz 

 Alves (which comes from the north-west, runs near the mountain of Bahul, 

 seen from the sea at a great distance, and is navigable for small canoes) and 

 the Tajahy Mirini, which runs from the south-west, navigable for canoes about 

 ten leagues. The whole flow through countries of great fertility. 



Five miles farther to the north is the river Gravata, otherwise Iriri-Guassu, thirty 

 fathoms wide, and navigable for canoes. It is followed by the spacious bay of 

 Itapacoroya, where there is an establishment for whale fishing. Proceeding 

 onwards, the Iriri Mirim and the Camboriu are met with, up which canoes also 

 navigate with the aid of the tide. Near to the latter is the Tajuba, a river of a 

 similar class. 



Three leagues to the north of the Itapacoroya th€ river Itapicu disembogues, 

 being fifty fathoms wide, and of considerable depth. Its origin is far back in the 

 province, and affords navigation to small canoes for many leagues, without the 

 interruption of more than one cataract, which is situated ten miles above the 

 mouth. The agitated state of the sea at the mouth of this river does not permit 

 the entrance of any description of vessel. Immediately beyond the bar 

 it forms a lake, called Lagoa da Cruz, two leagues long from north to south, 

 parallel with the beach, and very narrow. Among the rivers which enlarge it 

 are remarked the Piranga, which is received by the left bank, and is navigable 



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