PROVINCE OF RIO GRANDE DO NORTE. 



407 



century there was already upon the serra four thousand persons belonging to 

 the communion. Serra Borborema is in the eastern part of the province. 



Zoology. — Cattle are bred, and some mules ; also sheep and goats. Hogs are 

 not so numerous as in the adjacent provinces. In the woods the same quadru- 

 peds are met with as in the surrounding districts. The emu ostrich, seriema, 

 guiraponga, tucano, zabele, torquaze-pigeon, and pan ot, are well known ; 

 also the beija-flor, or humming bird, sabia, cartlal, canary, cabore, carrica, and 

 papeyro. On the margins of the rivers and lakes are the heron, jaburu, colhe- 

 reira, galleiroe, socco, and various sorts of the macarico. The jucurutu and 

 the macaulian ai e destroyers of snakes. 



Phytology. — The cocoa-nut tree is abundant in many situations near the 

 beach. In the interior there are many species of the palm. In the woods are 

 divers trees of excelleni; timber, and some resinous. The cedar'is not unknown 

 in all the districts. Amongst fruits are the cajue, jabuticaha, ambuzo, aracaza, 

 and occasionally groves, almost entirely of the mangaba tree, are met with ; 

 there is also the cupahyba tree, and a variety of other vegetation used in phar- 

 macy. Lights are universally made from th^ oil of mamona and bees- wax. 



Rivers and Lakes. — Rio Grande, originally Pottengy, comes from the 

 centre of the province, increasisig with the waters of various others, generally 

 inconsiderable, and discharges itself fifteen miles to the south of Cape St, 

 Roque. The margins are in great part covered with handsome mangroves as 

 far as the tide advances. Large barks proceed up for the space of near forty 

 miles, from thence upwards only canoes. 



The Appody has one hundred and thirty miles of course, formerly denomi- 

 nated U])anema, a name which at present is appropriated to another smaller 

 river that unites it, on the right, ten miles above its mouth. It runs almost 

 wholly through a fiat connlry, where there are various lakes, which by degrees 

 restore to it the waters introduced into them by its floods. 



The waters of those lakes, amongst which are the Apanhapeixe, (Catch Fish,) 

 about four miles in circuit ; Pacco, a little less, and Varges, six miles long and 

 narrow, totally disappear in years of drought. Large canoes advance up this 

 river to the arraial of St. Luzia, situated upon the left margin, twenty miles 

 from the sea. From this situation downwards the famous salterns of Mossoro 

 are met with, the salt of which is as white as snow ; they have tended to the 

 increase of population, as well as occasioned the river to be visited by a great 

 number of small craft, which convey it to different parts. 



The Aguamare runs northward, like the preceding, and is discharged twenty 



