PROVINCE OF MATTO G ROSSO. 



205 



lower there is another small one, denominated Belliago, the last of this river, 

 (the ordinary width of which is here about sixty fathoms,) and also the last of 

 one hundred and thirteen, which navigators encounter from Port Feliz to 

 Cuiaba. The greater part of its course is through campinhas, with little wood, 

 describing continual and short turnings, which give . it an appearance to the 

 navigator of his always being enclosed within a lake. It abounds in fish ; but 

 its waters are impregnated with a fine sand. Amongst other islands, which it 

 forms, is that of Passaros, (or Birds,) so called on account of the infinite 

 number that breed in it, and with which its trees are always laden: it dis- 

 charges into the Paraguay, through many channels, which form a great number 

 of islands, generally submerged during the floods of either river. These 

 islands are denominated Pantanos, where, amongst other rare birds, is seen 

 a beautiful one called anhupocas. It is the size of the inhuma, having also, 

 like it, a horn upon the head, and spurs to the wings ; it sings from midnight 

 till day. Wild geese are exceedingly numerous, and for their exclusive sus- 

 tenance nature here produces a prodigious quantity of wild rice, and of so 

 large a size that no other bird can swallow it. Amongst other remarkable 

 trees, on the margins of this river, the most esteemed is a species of palm tree, 

 thicker round the trunk than the arms of a man can compass ; its nuts, which 

 are the size of an ostrich's egg, supply the aliment of the Indian. 



The river Mondego, otherwise Embotateu, originally Aranhahi, is consider- 

 able, and navigable nearly to its origin, which is a short distance from that of 

 the Anhanduhi Gua^u, and runs into the Paraguay eighteen miles below the 

 Tocoary. The largest of its tributaries, which enter by the right margin, is 

 now called the river Verde. The last confluent of the Mondego, by the southern 

 bank, is the small river Zezere, which rises near the inconsiderable serra of 

 St. Barbara. 



The Ivinheima, which enters the Paranna by three mouths, flows from the 

 interior of the province, whither it affords navigation; and receives by the left 

 the Jaguary, a river little inferior to it. 



The Negro, which is considerable, and would appear to be the Sambambaya 

 of the first certanistas, runs into the Paranna twenty miles above the northern 

 mouth of the Ivinheima. 



The Miamaya, or Miamay, which is considered to be the river formerly 

 called Amambahy, is large, and enters the Paranna forty miles below the 

 southern arm of the Ivinheima. 



The Igatimy, to which is given one hundred and fifty miles of extent, is 



