The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-11-21
For the Union.
The Amazon and the Atlantic slopes Of south

The republic OF Paraguay lies between the parallels OF
20 deg. and % deg sosih Latitude II may be said there
fore, 10 be srtra tropical
The Brazilian province OF Matto Crosse lies between
the parallel OF deg south and the Tropc OF Capricorn
II Is i~sr-uopca Its productions therefore, II may be
supposed are different in many respects from those OF
Paraguay
This province. in its greatest length and breadth. meas
ures 10 deg OF latitude by l6 deg. OF longitude.
Passing midway through on zigzag course from
east to west is the great "divide." which separates The
waters OF the Amazon from the waters oil the Rio de la
Plata From end of this ridge to the other. from the
Atlantic to the Andes, gold. diamonds, and precious
stones are dug from its sides washed from its
On the northern slopes of the Tocanlins, the Chnga
the Tapagos and the Madura. tributaries 10 the Amazon
and larger than any of the rivers OF Europe take their
rise. Also the Paranahiba, which emplies directly into
The Atlantic has its among the northern ravnes
of this auriferous slope.
On its southern decvites the fountain heads OF the
Parana ard Paraguay are found sending forth bright
sparkling streams, which, like threads OF silver,
winding their way through the most uxufiant vegetation
and over sands Of gold and pebbles iners pesed with
brilliants to unite and swell out into the mighty river
Of silver" as the La PLATA is called.
Let therefore leave the country OF old FaHcia for
that OF Matte Crosse and Brazil.
The traveller leaving the republic and ascending the
Paraguay TO the celebrated gold and diamond region of
Matte Crosse, finds either hand he goes up charm
ing country diversified with pampas and groves of great
beauty and extent
| Turning up the Mendingo, which comes in from the
east and ascending the for seventy eighty miles,
he comes TO the village Of Miranda
The people in the neighborhood are Industrious They
raise large herds OF cattle and great numbers of horses
They cultivate in great abundance the cane Indian
corn, pulse. manoc and cotton. The climate is salub-
GUS and delighiulmany of the inhabitants reaching the
age of 100 years.
| 1t was here that Dr. Waddell, the bo,anst saw the
sncaya" with its elegant foliage, the fruit OF which was
described by the Indians 10 be OF oblong form, and
contain natural CONNECTION of which they very
| fond
/ Throughout this region they have immense quantities
OF the beautiful violet and other ornamental woods,
which used for frewood for though of great value
in the cabnetshops, the people here have other way,
notwithstanding their fine navgabe streams OF getting
these woods the seaboard except on the backs OF
mules.
Returning to the Paraguay the scene is enlvened by
the immense herds that feeding upon the now ever
green pastures of the plains The value of these herds
consists chiefly in their horns and hides
i The village OF Pocone. at the mouth OF the Cuyaba,
is Of the most aourshng places in the interior of
/ Brazil Caselnau says (and until otherwise stated he
is my chief authority for what follows) that as many as
5000 10000 head OF cattle are owned by single in
dividuaIs in that village.
Passing Pocone the right, and taking the left fork
OF the river which retains the OF Paraguay we
reach, at the distance Of about $50 miles above it, the
frontier Brazilian fort of Villa Maria.
The guns that mounted in this fort were brougb,
the Amazon TO the Tapajos, thence by that river up
Arnas thence by portage the diamond regions 10
the head OF the Cuyaba the Paraguay and SO
up steam TO Villa Maria.
On the west there several fine rivers which rising
lin Bolivia and Brazil, fall into the Paraguay above the
mouth OF the Cuyaba Several of these streams inter-
l,cLx akak a.a a.. MI
The Amazon what the Missouri is TO the Mississippi
shall have occasion again 10 speak OF these tributaries OF
the splendid country waered by Them and of the portage
between them.
Villa Maria is in the midst OF The great pecacuasha
region OF Matto Crosse. In 1914 Francisco Real was
sent to explore the diamond region Of thus province
But il turned out with him | apprehend il would
turn out with the pioneers Of commerce now as rich in
diamonds the streams and gravel beds OF this
nce, the riches OF the vegetable found greatly 10
exceed those OF the mineral kingdom.
This immense natural plantation includes within one
field an area Of 5000 square miles The crop perennial
and may be gathered the year round One expert hand
may collect Fifteen pounds OF this root in day, which
brought in Rio 81 the pound The work of an ordi-
nary hand is five pounds the day. and the cost OF aborers
from 50 40 TO - per month.
Castelnsu estimates that from 1880 10 1897 not less
than 100000 pounds OF this drug exported from this
province to Rio. This abundant supply brought down
It's price. But here is the singular feature OF this trade
this produce is taken from the very banks OF one OF the
nobe rivers in the world, and transported by mules for
the distance of 200 miles the sea-coas in spite of
Natures great highway.
The pecacusnha delights In fat or sandy soil and Is
found also in great abundance the banks OF The Yer
mibo, The Seputuba, and the Calaca
Vanilla is also abundant Its price when Castelnau
was at Villa Maria was 60 cents the pound
| But intended to follow this intelligent traveller up
into the diamond county, and with him 10 visit the d
vide" between the waters OF the Paraguay aud Tapaos
Ascending the Cuyaba, which is the principal Brazilian
tributary OF the Paraguay about 100 miles from lis mouth
you 10 The hourishing city Of Cuyabs the capital
OF the province OF Matlo Crosse. Il has population OF
about 1000 Ii carries brisk commerce. with Rio BY
caravans numbering from 200 TO 900 mules each This
commerce consists OF hides agusr and deer skins gold.
dust, diamonds, ipecacuanha, and the like The freight
10 Rio is almost SIS the 100 lbs.
Here, perhaps, among all the wonderful things that
found in these great river basins OF South America
the most wonderful OF them ALA city the capital
OF provinces larger than all OF the cold Thirteen
States OF this conlederscy put together and occ upyng
the banks OF the La Plaza very nearly the relative
position which ST. Louis occupies on the banks of the
Mississippi, carrying IFS not by steam and
water, but by the mule load, and over such distance
from the coast that the time occupied by each cara.
van in going and returning is IRON ten to twelve
months.
That this state Of things should in the middle OF the
10th century found TO exist in the middle of South
America upon one OF the finest of steamboat water.