236 



PROVINCE OF GOYAZ, 



some hides, are conveyed to the eastern ports, it is only that the troops of 

 animals may not proceed unladen on their journeys to bring back the necessary 

 dry goods, salt, iron, &c. ; these articles would not otherwise pay one-half of 

 the expense of conveyance. At present, the breeders of cattle and senhors 

 d'engenhos are the only individuals who live constantly independent; the 

 same may be said of miners and traders, when they are favoured by fortune 

 in their operations. None, however, experience want ; and agriculture is pro- 

 portioned to the population. The present king has been solicitous to increase 

 both in this fine and fertile province ; and, when Prince Regent, he afforded his 

 countenance and support, in September, 1812, to a plan for establishing a com- 

 mercial company between this province and Para, the funds of which w^ere not 

 to be less than one hundred thousand crusades. The establishment of ware- 

 houses and prezidios, in situations best adapted to promote the navigation of 

 the Maranham, and Tucantines, from Arroios to Porto Real, where almost all 

 the obstacles terminate which impede the navigation upwards, cannot fail with 

 the requisite attention and wisdom to effect this desirable project. All members 

 who entered this society with ten thousand crusades, besides other favours, 

 were to obtain what is termed a sesmaria of land, extending five miles in front 

 and five miles in depth, upon the margin of the Maranham, the Tucantines, 

 and the Araguaya ; and those who established themselves either upon the mar- 

 gins or in the certams of those rivers, were to be exempt from the payment of 

 tenths upon their productions, and to be free from the duties of entrance 

 upon the articles of commerce navigated by the said rivers. 



Rivers. — The Tucantines, the Araguaya, the Corumba, the Parannan, and 

 the Parannahiba, are the principal rivers, and receive all the others which to 

 a considerable number water this province. 



The principal head of the Tucantines is the river Uruhu, which originates in 

 the southern skirt of the serra Doirada, a short distance, southward from the 

 capital, and after seventy miles of course towards the north-east, loses the 

 name, confounding itself with the river Almas, which is not inferior to it ; and 

 from its origin, near the base of the Montes Pyreneos, flows north-west, about 

 an equal number of miles. After ninety miles of further extent to the north- 

 east, it loses also the name, uniting itself with the Maranham, which is little 

 inferior to it in volume and in length of course. The principal head of the 

 Maranham is the lake Formosa, which is fifteen miles in extent, and two in 

 width. It flows to the north-west, and three miles previous to uniting with the 

 Almas, at the passage to the arraial of Aguaquentes, is one hundred and sixty 



