424 



PROVINCE OF PIAUUY. 



CHAP. XXI. 



PROVINCE OF PIAUHY. 



boundaries — First Settler's — Cattle Fazendas — Mountains — Mineralogy — Rivers 



— Towns. 



This province derives its name from one of the rivers which water it, and was 

 created in the year 1718, being till that period a comarca of Maranham, but 

 did not begin to have governors before 1758. It is computed to comprise four 

 hundred miles from north to south, and one hundred and seventy of medium 

 width. Its form is almost triangular, having more than three hundred and 

 forty miles on the southern side, where it is confined by the province of Per- 

 nambuco, and about sixty on the northern side, where it is washed by the ocean. 

 On the east it is bounded by the province of Siara, from which it is separated 

 by the serra of Hibiapaba, on the west by the river Parnahiba, which divides 

 it from Maranham. The country is almost generally low and flat, interspersed 

 with small hills and extensive plains, principally sandy, in great part destitute 

 of trees, and also in places of shrubs. It exhibits herbage during the period 

 of rains, or whilst the soil preserves any humidity, but it is soon shrivelled up on 

 the return of the sun's parching rays. This province has various streams all 

 tributary to the important river Parnahiba. The winter commences in October, 

 and lasts till April, accompanied with thunder and rain. The wind prevails at 

 the beginning from the north, and afterwards passes round to the south. The 

 climate is hot, and fevers reign in some districts. In the northern part, the 

 days and nights are equal all the year, and in the southern districts of the 

 province there is only a difference of half an hour. This territory was possessed 

 by various nations, generally not numerous, whose reduction or repulsion did 

 not consume much time or expenditure of lives, differing in this respect from 

 many other provinces of much less extent, and arising from the concurring 

 circumstances of the great deficiency of woods and serras, which in almost 

 all the other districts served the savages for retreat and refuge. Those who 

 afforded the greatest difficulty in subduing them, were a tribe living in the 



