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serve as masts for ships of two or three hundred tons ; I was told 

 there were much larger ones to be found. 



Resuming our voyage, we left San Francisco, and, passing the port 

 of Cananea, arrived near the entrance of the harbour of Santos. 

 The coast along which we sailed is low and flat, and on its verge 

 are some poor fishing-huts, which rather add to the dreariness of its 

 appearance. It is covered with lofty trees, which also fringe the 

 mountainous scenery beyond it. Several rivers occur, of little note 

 in geography, but highly advantageous to the settlers, as they pass 

 the very doors of the dwellings, and afford easy means for the trans- 

 port of produce from the interior. On nearing Santos, we passed 

 several bold rocks, called the Alcatrases, and a ledge or reef on 

 which the sea broke furiously. The main land is very elevated and 

 mountainous, so much so that the low grounds which extend from 

 its base are scarcely perceptible from the heights next beyond them. 



The harbour of Santos has a safe entrance, and is very secure ; it 

 is a strait, having the island of St.Vincent to the left, for the extent 

 of half a mile, when it takes a different direction. Here is situated the 

 port, which has good anchorage, with regular soundings towards the 

 shore, which shoals gradually. The currents and eddies cause some in- 

 convenience, and the high land occasions much variation in the winds, 

 which perplexes mariners on their entrance into the narrows, but as 

 the water is not deep, and the current far from strong, a ship is safe 

 the moment her anchor is let go, and by means of a boat and 

 kedge she may be placed in any situation the pilot chooses. The 

 part called the narrows is defended by two forts, on passing which 

 there is a kind of lagoon of three or four leagues in length, almost 

 full of mangroves, terminated by the town of Santos, one of the 

 oldest European settlements in Brazil. In common with St. Paul'sy 

 it owes its origin to the first shipwreck on the island of St. Vincent. 

 The river or lagoon has three or four fathoms water and a muddy 

 bottom. Santos is a place of considerable trade, being the store- 

 house of the great captaincy of St. Paul's, and the resort of many 



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