SOUTH AMERICA. 



elected a distinguished citizen of the name of Bueno^ 

 who persiste^l in refusing to accept^ upon which, they 

 were induced to acknowledge Joam lY. It was not 

 until long afterwards, that they came under the Por- 

 tuguese government. The history of these people is 

 doubtless replete with interesting incidents; such is 

 always the case with an independent nation, and espe- 

 cially if republican. The important part they have 

 acted in South America, and their connexion with the 

 history of La Plata, have induced me to take this no- 

 tice of them. 



The next province to St. Paul is that of Rio Grande.^ 

 It is about five hundred miles in length, and three 

 hundred in depth, according to the treaty of ^78^ w^hich 

 excludes the Banda Oriental, but w hich is claimed in 

 Portuguese books of geography. The Uruguay has 

 its sources in the province to the west of St. Cathe- 

 rines, and flows several hundred miles through it be-^ 

 fore entering the Banda Oriental. It is an inclined 

 plain like the province of St. Paul, but more level; it 

 has a considerable ridge of mountains which separates 

 tlie waters of the Rio Negro, the main brrmch of the 



could be attacked, and this which was difficult for a single travel- 

 ler, for an army would be inaccessible. They might defend them- 

 selves merely by rolling down stones if they were attacked; while 

 on the other hand the whole interior was open to their enterprise. 

 The promoters of this scheme easily induced the people to join in 

 it with enthusiasm, and if they could have found a leader to their 

 wish, it is more than probable that the Paulistas would have be- 

 come an independent people, who would soon have made them- 

 selves the most formidable in South America." — Soiitheijy vol. 2, 

 p, 327. 



* St. Catherine is usually considered a distinct province, but 

 erroneously. 



VOL. I. ^6 



