Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-11-02
Che freemau.
Brazil.
NATURAL FEATURES.
BY SARAH W. EDWARDS. ATHENS.

Zil we will note first, Its situation; second,
its mountains; third, its rivers, lakes, etc; ;
fourth, its climate; fifth, its soil. Brazil
extends from latitde 40 degrees, 80 min
utes north, to S0sdegrees south, and from
longitude IS degrees to 81 degrees west.
It's bounded on the north by United States
of Columbia, Venezuela, British Feneh,
and Dutch Guiana and the Atlantic ocean.
On the east by the Atlantic ocean. On the
south by Uruguay, the Argentine Repub-
lie and Paraguay. On the west by Bolivia,
Peru and Ecuador. 1t borders on all of
the South American Republics excetpt
Chill. 1t occupies more than two-tiiths
of the South American continent
The boundary line at the north west
has not yet been fully determined; !;
but, including a territory annexed to
Brazil by Il treaty with Bolivia, it covers
an area of about 5000 600 square miles
1t is about 200 900 square miles larger than
the United States and equal in area onear
ly three hundred and fourteen states like
Vermont. Its greatest length is 26OO
miles. 1t is alb jut one hundred miles
longer than the United States, or, it is
nearly sixteen times the length of Vermont
1t is 2470 miles wide. 1t is forty three
times the width of Vermont, and 1l70
miles broader than the United States.
1t has coast line of nearly 400) miles
Te surface of Brazil in respect to its ele
walton is dividei into the higher ridges Of
plateaus, ridges and broad, open valleys
Probably one half of the Braz lian terri
tory is covered with IN 1unrtns, but they
are insignificant when colnpued with the
giant ranges of the Andes. The highe>
point in the Organ mountains is from 1900
to 1900 (, ct tb, the SEA. 1t is 34ll lert
higher than Noun Mansfield, or. little
more than half MS hlgh rs Pixies peak III
Colorado. Pixies peak bein4 l4,O00 feet
The luftiest ONT IN Brlzil j. lO3On feet
high, beng more than twice as high II,
Mount Mansfield, and abpul five seven h.
as high rs Pke's peak No volcanic
appearances have yet heen observed IN
Brazil. t. the seaward lie the AbfoIhos
Qour rocky Islet J. the principal one Is
Santa Barbara 1t rises to highjh Of
1903 feet. 1t is three tourhs of Il mile long,
and com osed of sandstone, shoals, etc
Coral reefs occur at irregular intervals
along the northern coast. FROM tho
Abrolhos islets, they rise on the submerged
border of the continent from II less depth
than 100 feet as far as the shores OF
Maranhao.
There are numerous lakes in Brazil, the
largest one il Luke of the Ducks. Ii is
$50 miles long; thirty miles longer than
Lake Cnamplain. 1t is forty milas wide
or, nsally four times as wide rs Lake
Champtain. There are many rivers in
Brazil, but the principal one IS the Am
azon The Amazon river is the deepest
river on the globe. Its depth at its mouth
is about 8js fahomS, or, 5l3 feet. rts
average dep h is from "a to Al fathoms,
or, from 2O4 264 feet. 1t is 81 feet deeper
than the Mississippi, the Mississippi being
120 to 1870 feet deep. The length of the
Amazon is POO miles, and thus it is about
80 miles shorter than he Mississippi, and
more than six times as long as the Con
necticut, the Connecticut being 4lO miles
long Its width at its mouth Is $50 miles,
excluding the Para. 1t is the same width
as the Mississippi, or, is probably 5000
times rs wide as the Connecticut is at
Bellows Falls. 1t drains an area of 800,
900 square miles in Brazil, or, about as
much land as there would be in eight
such states as Vermont. 1t is navigable
for large v1sses about 2, 400 miles, and for
steamboats, to the foot of the Andes. 1t
flows into the Atlantic almost under the
EQUATOR. The tide flows off 600 miles,
between Bolivia and Rio Janeiro. The
Amazon attains its highest point in June
Gt being 80 feet) and reaches its lowest
point in December, Chat being 30 2 feet)
During three days before the new and full
moon, (the period of the highest tide), the
sea. instead of occupying six hours to
reach its flood swells to his highest limits
in one or two minutes. The noise of this
food is heard miles, and increases as it
approaches. Presently you see a liquid
promontory twelve or fifteen feet high
followed by two or three and sometimes
four; these watery mountains spread
across the channel, and advance rapidly,
crushing ever shiug in their way, uproot-
ing trees, and sometimes sweeping away
whole tracts of land. Fne largest af1i lent
of the Amazon is VI tderia 1t is two ,ules
wide at its junction. and &C feet deep and
1000 miles long. 1t is navigable for 4oC
miles. Other important rivers are Sal
Francisco, the Peru, formed by the focan
tines and Araguay, the Rio. Negro
Parana, and Paraguay. The rivers are
divided into two classes, those classes art
distinguished by their color; those of one
class being white, the other black. The
difference of color is attributed to the grea
quantity of resinous water received iron
CO0tt6TOuS tTeFs, WulCl tuDJ Odii y III Sio
numbers TO the Amazon. The black wa
ters are infested by insects. lntermittan
fevers, and Leprosy are more prevalent
on their banks.
The falls of Guayra, or Seven Fall.
is the greatest cataract in Brazil, here the
water tails over perpendicular height OF
so feet. The roaring of the cataract is
heard for many leagues around. 1t de
scends into the Parana by fall OF &C feet
Hot springs occur in many places III
Brazil, and are usually found at IN
elevation OF 5000 feet above the sea.
The climate on the coast from hio
.Janeiro to the north limit and in the
valley of the Amazon is generally not
although some parts are subject to sudder
and violent changes. In the valley OF th'