222 



PROVINCE OF MATTO GROSSO. 



From the capital downwards, the most notable streams which fall into the 

 Cuiaba, are the Tutez on the right ; the large and small Caranda on the left. 



Villa Real de Cuiaba, capital of the comarca, considerable, populous, flourish- 

 ing, and abounding with meat, fish, and fruits, contains a church of Senhor 

 Bom Jesus, three chapels dedicated, two also to the Redeemer, with the titles 

 of Bom Despacho and Passos, and one to Nossa Senhora of Rozario, and is 

 the residence of a prelate, bishop in partibus, also of a Juiz de Fora, and royal 

 professors of philosophy and Latin. It is situated near a small river, one mile 

 distant from the eastern bank of the river from which it derives its name. All 

 the edifices are of taipa, similar to those of St. Paulo, and the streets are mostly 

 paved. 



The dealers of Cuiaba proceed to barter their bars of precious metal at 

 Bahia, by the road of Goyaz, or at the metropolis, by the same track, or by 

 Camapuan ; but their trade might more conveniently be carried on by the river 

 Tapajos, and others of Gram Para, to its capital. Various ways, in fact, remain 

 to be opened to the transit of the productions of these fertile districts ; two to 

 Para, — one by the river Xingu, the other by the Mortes and the Araguaya ; the 

 same number to St. Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, — the first by the rivers St. Lou- 

 ren^o, Piquiry, Sucuriu, and Tiete, — the second always by land, traversing the 

 districts of Bororonia and Cayaponia, crossing the Paranna between the con- 

 fluence of the Parannahiba and the cataract of Urubupunga. The latter, it is 

 credibly affirmed, would be near three hundred miles shorter than the route 

 actually frequented by Villaboa. 



At Cuiaba, the orange tree is exceedingly abundant, and fructifies with excel- 

 lence the whole year. The water-melon, melon, and pine-apple, are here very 

 good. The principal productions are mandioca, Indian com, feijao, some 

 cotton, and the sugar cane, the juice of which is principally distilled into 

 spirit. 



Thirty-five miles to the east of Cuiaba is the small arraial and parish of St. 

 Anna, situated on a plain, upon the serra St. Jeronimo. Every way that it is 

 approached the ascent is steep and of considerable length. Its inhabitants 

 rear cattle, cultivate mandioca, Indian corn, legumes, the sugar cane, and some 

 cotton, vi^hich is occasionally injured by the cold, here sensibly experienced in 

 the nights of July. The soil has been found well adapted to the growth of 

 wheat, but want of industry precludes its cultivation. 



Fifty miles to the south-west of Cuiaba is the small arraial of St. Pedro d'el 

 Rey, formerly Poconna, situated upon the verge of a vast lake, with a hermitage. 



