438 



PROVINCE OF MARANHAM. 



miles from the margin of the Parnahyba, and six miles above its moutli receives 

 the Iguara, which waters a country where the necessaries of life are only 

 partially cultivated. Three miles west of the Mony is the vast embouchure of 

 the large river Itapicuru, being the most considerable of the province. It 

 originates in the district of Balsas, the most southern portion of Maranham, 

 where it already assumes the appearance of a large river, running north-east to 

 Cachias, one hundred miles above which it receives on the left the Alpercatas, 

 of equal size, and which comes from the territory of the Tymbyra Indians, 

 •whither it affords navigation to canoes. In Cachias it changes its direction to 

 the north-west, and passes by two parishes of the same name, where the tide 

 and the navigation of large barks with the sail terminate. Its current is rapid 

 and the course winding, generally through extensive woods. The fishermen 

 •who use the line about the heads of this river, occasionally catch a species of 

 small eel whose electric powers are greater than the torpedo, conveying its in- 

 -fluenceup the line and rod, and benumbing the arm, so that it cannot be moved; 

 this electrical effect is attributed to a stone the fish has in its head, and which 

 is much esteemed by the superstitious, who attach many virtues to it. Humboldt 

 tried many interesting experiments with this fish, whose electric fire is exhaust- 

 ed after many discharges ; amongst other trials of its power were the driving 

 horses into a pond and compelling them to withstand the gradually decreasing 

 shocks of a great many of them. The two last rivers enter the bay of St. Joze. 



About twenty miles further west, at the bottom of the bay of St. Marcos and 

 ■the same distance south-west of the capital is the mouth of the large river 

 Meary, or Mearim, sometimes called Maranham, which originates also in the 

 southern part of the province, describing numerous windings, and increasing 

 by the addition of various streams, among which is the Grajehu. Its bed is 

 deep and wide, and the current so rapid that it suspends the progress of the 

 tide for a considerable period, and produces by this opposition an extraordinary 

 agitation of the w^aters, which is called Pororocas ; when the tide has van- 

 quished its opponent it flows up for three hours with astonishing rapidity. This 

 phenomenon occupies a space of nearly fifteen miles, occasioning a loud noise, 

 and there are situations, called esperas, where canoes wait until the tide re- 

 advances, and then continue their voyage without danger. This large river, 

 which has the least depth at its extended mouth where vessels can only enter 

 with the tide, affords navigation to the centre of the province, wliere a large fall 

 interrupts it. It traverses the territories of the Gamella Indians and other 

 barbarous nations. In the vicinity of the sea it flows through fine campinhas 



