Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-12-14
The Valley of the Amazon.
THE ATLANTIC SLOPES OF SOUTH AMERICA

TIE ATLANTIC SLOPES OF SOUTH AMERICA.
We published few weeks since, an interest
ing article from the Washington Union, in regard
to the trade and prodactiveness OF The Amazon
and the Atlantic Slopes Of South America Be
low will be found another of still greater value
upon the same subject. 1t is mostly geographi-
cal, and therefore, the more important, because
it supplies species of information not generally
within the reach Of the newSpaperreaders. We
suljoin some of the most interesting paragraphs:
'rhe republic Of Paraguay lies between the
parallels of % deg. and % deg South latitude.
1t may be said, therefore, to be extra tropical.
"The Brazilian province of Matto Crosse lies
between the parallel OF I degrees south, and the
Tropic of Capricorn. 1t is intcr-tropical. It's
productions, therefore, it may be supposed, are
different in many respects from those OF Para
quay.
"This province in its greatest length and
breadth, measures 16 degrees Of lat. Iy lG de-
grees of longitude.
Passing midway through it on zigzag course
from east to west, is the great divide, which sep
arates the waters of the Amazon from the wa
tcrs of the Rio de Ia Plata. From one end Of
this ridge to the other, from the Atlantic to the
Andes, gold, diamonds, and precious stones are
dug from its sides, or washed from its streams.
"On the Northern slopes of it the Tocantincs,
the Chinga, the Tapagos and the Madura, tribu-
tarics to the Amazon, and larger than any OF the
rivers of Europe, take their rise. Also the Pa
ranahiba, which empties directly into the Attain
tic, has its sources among the northern ravines of
this auriftrous slope.
"On its southern dcclivities the fountain heads
Of the Parana and Paraguay arc found sending
forth sparkling streams (which, like threads
of silver, arc seen winding their way through the
most luxuriant vegetation, and over sands OF gold
and pebbles interSpersed with briiants, to unite
and swell out into the mighty 'river OF silver
as the La Plata is called.
"Let us therefore leave the country Of old
Francia for that of Matto Crosse and Brazil.
"The traveller leaving the republic, and ascend
ing the Paraguay to the celebrated gold and dl
amond region of Matto Crosse, finds on either
hand as he goes up charming country dverSi.
fed with pampas and groves Of great beauty and
extent.
Turning up the Mendngo, which comes in
from the east, and ascending the same for seven
ty or eighty miles, he comes to the village of Mi
randa.
"The people in the neighborhood are industrl-
Gus. They raise large herds of cattle and great
numbers Of horses. They cultivate in great abun-
dance the sugar.cane, Indian corn, pulse, manoc
and cotton. The climate is salubrious and de-
Eghtful-many of the inhabitants reaching the
age of 100 years.
Ascending the Cuyablc, which is the princi-
pal Brazilian tributary of the Paraguay, about
15O miles from its mouth you come to the -four
ishng city of Cuyaba, thecapitaI of the province
of Matto Crosse. 1t has population of about
1000. 1t carries on a brisk commerce with Rio
by caravans, numbering from 200 to 300 mules
each This commerce consists Of hides ;;::.uar
and deer-skins, gold dust, diamonds, ippccacuan-
ha, and tne like, The freight to Rio is almost
SIS tne 100 lbs.
"IIere, perhaps, ongall the wonderful things
that are found in these great river basins of South
America, is the most wonderful of them all, a
city, the capital of province larger than all Of
the sold Thirteen States" Of this confederacy put
together, and occupying on the banks of the La
Plata very nearly the relative position which ST.
Louis occupies on the banks of the Mississippi
carrying on its commerce not by steam and wa
| for hut bv the mule load and over such dis.