Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-12-04

Hcrndon will soon let us have in full the report of hi
wonderful voyage down the Amazon, / close this thu
antepenultimate Of my numbers INCA
No. WI
The Amazon enters the Atlantic through delta Tn,
principal tributaries from the south which fall into this
river are, commencing its mouth and going up the
Tocantins the Chingu, the Tapajos, the Madeira the
Purus, the Tappe the Hyuruba the Hintay the Tsvary
the Ucayali and the Huallaga-none Of them smaller
than the Ohio, and some larger than the Missouri.
From the north come the Rio Negro and the Japura
1.-TWO mighty streams, the Putomayo the Napo, the Ii
gre -Yacu, and the Pastaza
have spoken Of the present commercial resources Of
the Madeira and the Huaaga from information derived
from Lleutenants Herndon aud Gibbon United States
navy ana from NJ Caselnau. As to the present condi
tion of ~ trade and resources Of these ox rivers ex,
to conjesture - 'aSz ~ &C
All Of them, know have falls and rapids OF more Oh
less velocity, which offer distractions more or less Diff
cult to steamboat navigation Therefore, the ques
ton of how far these rivers may be assembled by
boats at low water and how far at high that must be
left for actual trial to decide hope, therefore, the time
is not distant when American steamer will be sent
make complete and thorough examination to this
point and explore that rich and interesting region
country with view to its commercial resources both
present and prospective.
In the present state of information, judge
of the actual resources Of these several streams for
trade and traffic by comparing those to which
in the dark with those which have been recently explor
ed As the type of the whole in this respect therefore,
take the Tocantins.
As you enter the southern mouth of the Amazon the
mouth of the Tocanns is the first but that you pass
~ lot;t
sipp does But it is straghter and therefore not
long river 1t takes its rise in the provinces of Mato
Crosse and Goyaz and drains these two provinces with
that of Para This river lies wholly within Brazilian
rtory and explored down to port Barra by Casel
in 1884. From him, therefore, derive my special
information with regard to it.
1t drains gold and diamond country and is an ex-
ceedingy rich agricultural It's principal tributary
is the Araguay, which is noble stream Speaking
of parts of the valley of the Tocantns in which he was
Castenau says %" believe that this rich and valuable
country will be found Of the most healthy in the
world"
The city of Goyaz with population of eight
thousand and the capital of its province its situated
Vermho celebrated for its golden sands This river
about twenty steps wide opposite the city, and vessels
from Para up and make fast to the bridge below
The distance thence in straight line to the mouth of the
Amazon is rather under than thousand miles The
population of the whole province than two-thirds Of
which is in the valley of the Tocantins, is 25000 Of
which %, 900 slaves.
There number Of fourishing towns and villages
the watershed Of this river Among these is Salinas
, which derives its name from its salt-works.
Near by the salt lake Salinas is the Lake of Pearls
surrounded by beautiful vegetation and numerously
habited by aquatic birds Nothing says Castclnau ca
give "une idee de Ia 6eaue de cette o piece
Its waters fresh, and it abounds with shefsh whc
contains the pearl
i 1t was here that the voyagews found such variety
and useful plants among them the fruit OF whc
is used to make ink and il is excellent substitute
CALLS another kind Of cane the roots Of whc
make yellow die Of the most exquisite hue. They oh
tanned wild from the forest all the coors with whic
they painted the Brazilian flag that hoisted durin
the descent of the Araguay the principal tributary of tn
Tocantns and far more beautiful than the belle rrite
the West.
They use for tanning the bark Of tree, with
which the raw hide is converted into leather in month
They have two varieties of manoc Of great beauty which
require little labor in cultivation. 1t is pro
pagated by cuttings slips also is the sugar-cane
which sends up from every joint dozen stalks and gives
crop in every eight months The black bean an essen
great perfection it yields four crops year Two kind,
of beautiful palms grow wild in the woods, which also
furnish the natives with abundant supply of whole
some food
There have been in this province many one hun
dred thousand slaves employed at time in collecting
gold alone.
But as rich in mines this province is, its soil with
its productions much richer 1t is well adapted to the
cultivation Of cotton and coffee, sugar and tobacco Of
ndian corn rye wheat and oats Of rice indigo pulse
and potatoes manioc nuts ipecacuanhs sarsaparilla
vanilla anatto balsam India rubber and great variety
Of gums, spices ornamental woods, roots, drugs and
dye-stufs.
The margins Of the rivers afford pasturage and sup
port to numerous herds Of cattle and horses Their
waters abound in fish. Castenau dolphins sporting
in them.
Limestone and saltpetre caves with salt lakes add
beauty to the country and variety its resources also
iron mines abound.
The mode Of cultivation is rude and ruinous. The
planters scratch the earth with pick, SOW and at the
end of few months, says Castelnau, reap two
hundredfod less according TO the fertility Of
the soil and the excellence Of the season.
The ordinary prices for coffee 81 cents the pound
seed cotton cent the pound white sugar, cents to-
bacco cents beef CATTLE So to SO the head tanned
hides, 6j cents apiece; green ditto, 20 cents.
The exports consist OF these besides calf kid otter
and SKINS with other products Of the field the
forest, the river, and the mine
The imports are fabrics Of silk WOOL fax and cotton,
hats SALT drugs, medicines crockery, yine brandies,
farming implements, &c.
The VOYAGE up the river from Para oeounes about FIVE