NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



587 



Felis canoas, and even fleets of canoas, descended the Teite to the 

 Parana, followed that stream to the mouth of the Rio Pardo, entered it, 

 and ascended to the Sanguexuga, where, by a portage of about eight 

 miles, they joined the Cochim, descended the Tacoary, and crossed, by 

 the floods of Lake Xareys, to the Cuyaba ; forming the longest inland 

 navigation which ever has been used in the world. The trade from 

 Cuyaba and Villa Bella, which was carried on by that channel, is now 

 diverted along the road, through Goyaz and Minas Geraes, to Rio de 

 Janeiro, and is conducted in the usual mode by troops of mules. 



Yet when the interior of St. Paul's, and the Southern parts of Matto 

 Grosso, countries whose soil, climate, and temperature, are some of the 

 finest which nature ever formed, shall become populous, the trade 

 through Santos and St. Paul's must be again very extensive and impor- 

 tant. Along this line it will be easy to form artificial canals, when the 

 time shall have arrived for Brazil to commence such undertakings. Port 

 St. Felis is about 2000 feet above the level of the sea, from thence to the 

 Parana is 450 miles, with a descent of not more, it is probable, than 

 1000 feet, yielding for every mile the trifling fall of twenty-six inches. 

 In the hands of a skilful engineer such a stream as the Teite would soon 

 become one of the greatest blessings which the country could boast. 



About the Iguap4 which is also a fine river in this district, the 

 people furnish an instance of one of those relapses of the human character 

 which are so difficult to account for in a state of society. The emigrants 

 from Europe, or rather their descendants, have become almost as indolent 

 and as savage as the aboriginal inhabitants of the country. 



The District of St. Catharine's is embarrassed with mountains, and 

 has no stream of importance except the St. Francisco, which might be 

 made to form a communication with the Pellotas, itself a rocky and almost 

 unnavigable river. There are here, therefore, no facilities for Commerce, 

 except such as its excellent ports and fertile shores afford. 



Rio Grande do Sul has been already described. It is certainly a 

 district of the first consequence to the Northern parts of Brazil, opens a 

 fine channel of direct communication with a rich Interior, has already 



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