PROVINCE OF GOYAZ. 



239 



serves the name of Araguaya, and the eastern takes that of Furo, by which 

 latter navigators commonly proceed. Both have falls, and a great number of 

 islands, generally small, flat, and for the most part inundated during the 

 periodical rains. The margins of the Furo are loAver than those of the other 

 arm, which latter receives by the western side various rivers, with which it is 

 greatly augmented. The principal is the Mortes, which flows from the centre 

 of Bororonia with near three hundred miles of course, and empties itself about 

 forty miles north of the southern point of the island of St. Anna. At the 

 northern extremity of this island the margins of the Araguaya are elevated a 

 little to the confluence of that river with the Tucantines. The first navigators 

 placed this confluence in 6°, the geographers of Para in 5°, and others in 3° 30' i 

 the medium is evidently nearest the truth. 



The river Corumba has its origin in the proximity of that of the river Almas, 

 not far distant from the Montes Pyreneos. Its course for a vast space describes 

 a large semicircle to the east (where it receives, amongst others, the river St. 

 Bartholomew) as far as the parallel of its source, where the river Peixe is in- 

 corporated with it by the right. Thirty miles lower the river Verissimo unites 

 itself with it on the left, after an extensive course, bringing the waters of ano- 

 ther called Braco do Verissimo. From hence it flows for a considerable ex- 

 tent, and loses its name on falling into the Parannahiba, which constitutes a 

 boundary for some miles to the province of Minas Geraes as far as the mouth 

 of the river St. Marcos, its northern head, and which makes a similar division- 

 ary line in the opposite direction. 



Below the embouchure of the Corumba, the Parannahiba is joined by the 

 large river Velhas, the principal head of which is near that of the Andayha, oil 

 the borders of Minas Geraes. Many leagues below the mouth of the river 

 Velhas is the confluence of the Parannahiba with the Rio Grande, the limit of 

 the province. In the vicinity of the embouchure of the Velhas, the Paranna- 

 hiba receives on the right the Annicuns, the most considerable amongst those 

 which unite themselves with it on that side, and has its source in the large 

 wood of Matto Grosso previously mentioned. 



Almost all the povoacoes or inhabited places of this province already 

 existed when it was so created and delivered to the government of the vice- 

 roy, Conde d'Arcos ; and all of them, excepting those in the southern districts, 

 owe their foundation to the gold sought after upon their sites and surrounding 

 lands. 



The jurisdiction of the ouvidor extended over the whole province, until the 



