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7^ TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



sail up that river, come to the Villa de Cujaba. The 

 whole voyage occupies from four to five months. 

 While the trade upon the Tiete still flourished, 

 arms, cloth, cottons and white calicoes, glass-ware 

 and pottery, salt, and all other European articles, 

 went by this way to Cujaba and Matto-grosso. 

 The returns consisted in copaiva oil, pichurim 

 beans, tamarinds, resinous gums, wax, guarana, gold- 

 dust, and skins, particularly of the Brazilian otters 

 and ounces. The articles imported by so long 

 and dangerous a route, were at first very dear ; but 

 by degrees the prices declined, till they bore a due 

 proportion to those on the coast ; especially after 

 the route by land caused the two ways by water, 

 from Porto Feliz on the Tiete, and from Para on the 

 Tocantins and the Araguaya, to be abandoned. 

 The Villa de Cujaba, which, on account of its 

 more healthy climate, exceeds in population and 

 prosperity the Villa Bella, now the Cidade de 

 Matto-grosso, and is chosen by the governor for his 

 residence during one half of the year, is the prin- 

 cipal place in the province for the trade, by land, 

 as well as on the rivers. 



The Indian tribes, who at first attacked tra- 

 vellers on the river, have now retired for the most 

 part into more distant regions, or have adopted 

 more peaceable dispositions, and come to the river 

 only from time to time, in order to trade with the 

 boats that sail along it. In exchange for Europ- 

 ean articles, they offer honey, wax, copal, and the 



