PROVINCE OF ST. PAULO. 



171 



d^cend from the General Cordillera. This name is derived from the beautiful 

 guara bird, which abounds upon its margins, and breeds upon a flat island, 

 covered with mangroves, situated about seven miles from the sea, where, by a 

 decree, no one has been allowed to kill them, otherwise these handsome birds 

 would have long since been extirpated. Launches proceed up to the town of 

 the same name. Its largest tributary is the river St. Joao, which, flowing a con- 

 siderable distance through the pine woods, unites itself with the Guaratuba on 

 the southern margin. 



Twenty miles to the northward are the three entrances to the bay of 

 Paranagua, formed by two islands. Ibupetuba, (or False Bar,) is the name of the 

 southern, and Superagui that of the northern. The central and largest is five 

 hundred fathoms in width. Mel is the name of the southern island, and Pecas 

 the northern. This bay is twenty miles in length from east to west, more than 

 ten at its greatest width, and of very irregular form. The most northern portion 

 is called the bay of Pine-trees, to which the island of Pecas opens two 

 entrances. The island of Cotinga, six miles long from east to west, and of 

 small width, is the largest within this bay, where sumacas alone enter, and 

 where a great number of rivulets and rivers are discharged. The most con- 

 siderable is the Cubatam, which flows into it at the western extremity. The 

 Guaraquissava is the largest that enters it on the northern side, where it also 

 receives the Serra Negra, the Cachoeira, and the Nhundyaquara. The Gurgussu 

 and the Almeydas are the largest which run into this receptacle on its southern 

 side. 



Twenty-five miles further, the river Ararapira disembogues, scarcely supply- 

 ing depth for canoes. 



Twelve miles to the north-east, which is the direction of the coast, is the 

 bar of Cannanea. Near its northern point there is a small elevated island of 

 the same name. In front of it, on the southern side, there is another island 

 called Figueira, which is round ; and further outward is that of Castilhos, small 

 and of moderate elevation. 



Forty miles in the same direction of north-east, is the bar of Icapara, the 

 northern mouth of an inlet of the sea, forming an island of the intervening 

 land. Its southern mouth is the before-mentioned bar of Cannanea. This 

 island, hitherto unnamed, is flat, and of inconsiderable width, compared with its 

 great length. It has some inhabitants, and the channel which separates it from 

 the continent is narrow and deep, and is sometimes called a bay, at others a lake. 



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