PARA, a province of Brazil, in South America, of immense extent, and of such surprising fertility that it is characterized as at once the paradise of the Indies and of Brazil. It is a region of endless luxuriance, one where every rood of ground would maintain its man; and sufficiently capacious to receive all the redundant population of Europe; for the dwellings of man are scattered over it so thinly that they have been compared to islands in a vast ocean. It is situated to the south and south-east of Guiana, being separated from it by the river Amazons. The river Madera, or Madeira, the great tributary of the Amazons, separates it on the north-west and west from the province of Solimaens and the territory of Peru. A line drawn nearly parallel with the ninth degree of south latitude separates it from the province of Matto Grosso on the south; Maranham bounds it on the east; and a considerable part of its northern limits is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Its greatest length, from the Atlantic to the borders of Peru, is above fourteen hundred miles; at the broadest it is more than five hundred miles across, but it narrows towards either extremity, lying east and west. This vast tract of country is, to a considerable extent, a terra incognita, and it is supposed that at least two thirds of it are yet in possession of the aboriginal Indians. Cazal divides it into four large districts, viz. Para proper, a flat and wooded country, extending west of Maranham two hundred miles to the river Toecantines or Toeannos, which in this quarter traverses its whole extent from south to north; Xingutania, lying between the Toecantines and the river Xingu or Ghingu, which falls into the Amazons, near its mouth; Tapajonia, extending from the latter river to the Tapajos, which joins the Amazons about two hundred and twenty miles higher up than the Xingu; and Mun-drucania, so designated from the Mundrucu Indians, who inhabit it, extending from the Tapajos to the Madera, which unites with the Amazons about the same distance above the Tapajos that the latter river is above the confluence of the Xingu. Indeed, in examining a good map of the country, nothing appears more striking than the manner in which the province of Para is divided into four portions by the rivers above named, all nearly of equal size, with the exception of Para proper, which is much smaller than the others. Of these rivers, the Amazons and the Madera have already been described in this work; and they constitute the leading hydrographical features of the country. The Toecantines is also a very large stream, in one part expanding to ten miles in breadth; and it is beautified with numerous islands. The Xingu and Tapajos are likewise considerable streams, originating in a cordillera of moderate elevation, which runs from north to south in the province of Matto Grosso. The upper courses of these rivers have never been explored, and the country which lies between them, and also between the Tapajos and Madera, where it joins with Matto Grosso, is consequently known only by the reports of the Indians. There are a number of other rivers, but none which requires specific mention, except the Annapu, which falls into the estuary of the Amazons between the rivers Toccantines and Xingu. Several islands lie at the mouth of the Amazons, one of which, called Majora, is a hundred miles in circumference, and so situated as to divide the river into two unequal branches. The island of Majora is a low, flat, alluvial formation, covered with brushwood and grass, and abounding in cattle and horses, with which it supplies Para. It is overrun with alligators, snakes, and wild beasts; and during the rainy season it is much flooded, and rendered very unhealthy when the watershave quitted it, and the sun has begun to exhale the malaria.

The geology of Para presents but little variety or novelty, and is precisely similar to that of Maranham. The soil upon which the city of Para stands is composed of clay and sand. The beds of clay are very extensive, and frequently thirty or forty feet in depth. There is scarcely any rock, and that only in particular and isolated masses; it is a coarse dark iron sandstone, with numerous particles of quartz imbedded in it. This is the only stone, and it is used as a building material. This species of sandstone, with fragments of white quartz, is observable at Maranham, and is the predominating formation at St Paul’s, a little to the southward of Rio. The beds of clay at Para are of various qualities, some being admirably adapted for bricks, tiles, and coarse pottery; whilst others, again, are very fine, and capable of forming utensils which might vie in beauty with the celebrated Wedgewood ware. Beds of yellow ochre are abundant, and it is much in use for painting the houses externally. Limestone is imported from Portugal, granite from Rio, and slabs and sills from Europe. A gold mine is said to have been found in a mountainous hill on the coast near Selina No organic remains have as yet been discovered in these parts. The larger portion of the soil of Para is of extraordinary fertility, as will be seen by the account of the vegetable productions, remarkable alike for their variety and luxuriance. Situated immediately beneath the equator, the climate is hot and sultry; the thermometer averaging throughout the day from 84° to 89° in the shade. At night it occasionally falls as low as 75°, with very heavy and copious dews, particularly upon the river, drenching such boats as may be upon it, as if a shower of rain had descended. The river water is tepid, generally about 84< o . As the air cools in the evening, it chills the surface of the water, and in doing so a humid vapour is emitted. There is no difference of temperature throughout the year, the mean degree of heat being 84°. There are two seasons, the wet and the dry. The rainy season commences in the latter part of December, and continues until July, raining more or less every day, without intermission, for many hours. The air continues sultry and oppressive, with light variable winds, and occasional squalls from various points of the compass, accompanied by thunder and lightning of the most appalling description, whilst the rain at the same time descends in torrents. The thunderstorms take place most frequently in the afternoon, about two or three o’clock; and the same is observable at Rio and other places. It generally begins to rain about eleven o’clock in the forenoon, and continues until nine or ten at night. The country is flooded in many parts during this season, and vessels are often detained several weeks, not being able to take on board their cargoes. The dry season at Para occupies the remaining portion of the year, from July to December. But even during this period rain frequently falls, and thunder-storms occur in the afternoon. This is also the peculiar season of winds, which blow fresh from the north-east during the day, with a light breeze only in the evening. Lightning is frequent in the horizon every night. Of course the days and nights in this “region of the sun” are nearly of equal length throughout [7:17:51]the year. For a country situated within the torrid zone, Para cannot be considered as unhealthy, although it was formerly reckoned so. But since the woods were thinned, and cattle were introduced, a material improvement has taken place. It is exempted from endemic diseases; but intermittent fevers or agues attack those who have newly arrived in the country, and they become more common as the river is ascended. Those employed in the gathering of sarsaparilla are very frequently attacked with fever, and numbers of the natives die of it. Dysentery, tetanus, and some other diseases, common to various parts of Brazil, prevail in Para. In 1825, the small-pox is said to have carried off five thousand persons in the capital.

This province is unusually rich in vegetable productions, particularly such as are called, par excellence, botanical. There is an inexhaustible supply of timber of the very best quality, and almost of every variety, so that there is abundance of fuel. The palms are amongst the most conspicuous and useful products of the vegetable kingdom. They afford the inhabitants food, drink, and even raiment; for the pith of some of these species of trees produces an edible substance resembling sago, the pericarp of others yields a pleasant beverage, and the leaves afford a covering for houses, as well as materials for making hats and baskets. Some furnish them with oil; and canoes and boats are hollowed out of the trunks of others. The palms are of various species; one, called the areca, reaches a hundred and thirty feet in height. Indeed there is to be found here timber for every purpose for which man can require it, from the soft cork-wood of the ochroma sayopus, to the dense hard iron wood. There is the cedrela odorata, or soft cedar wood, very handsomely veined; the white cedar or bignonia leucoxylon, and an abundance of other bignonias; the balsam copaiva tree, which affords good timber, besides its medicinal product; ornamental woods of every hue and grain, including rose-wood, satin-wood, yellow wood, ebony, and others; the bertholletia excelsa, a lofty spreading tree, producing a woody capsule three inches in diameter, so heavy, hard, and solid that it requires a powerful blow of a sledge-hammer to break it (the bark of this tree, when beaten into flakes, is used in place of oakum or hemp); the lecythis ollaris, or pot-tree (so called from the seed-vessel resembling a rusty iron pot with a lid), the nuts of which are esteemed as of a very superior quality, and are sent as presents from the interior; the carapa guareoides, or anderaba, the seeds of which yield an oil that is put to a variety of uses, and amongst others as a lamp-oil, and for making soap; the calabash, which furnishes the natives with many utensils; excellent woods for ship-building, equal to the teak of India; and a vast variety of trees and plants which yield dye-stuffs of the finest quality. Amongst these may be mentioned arnotta, of which there are three species; indigo; crajaru, or the juice of a plant {bignonia), formed into cakes of a bright red. It is prepared by the Indians, and is a capital and very durable oil colour. The amomum sylvestre yields a blue colour. Para is exceedingly rich in oils, including turtle-oil, procured from the fat of the turtle. Turtles frequent the upper part of the river in immense numbers; and no less than six thousand jars of their oil, each containing seven gallons, are annually received at Para. Besides these, may be mentioned the azeite mammona, or castor oil, for lamps, and common lamp-oil; the unctuous substance of cacao, which is used in the manufacture of soap; a fine sweet oil resembling that of the olive, obtained from the patacia, a species of palm; thebacova, a species of palm oil; the common cocoa-nut oil; and that of the anderaba, already mentioned. These oils can be procured in the greatest abundance, at a very cheap rate, and may be rendered an object of considerable commercial importance. Amongst the medicinal plants and drugs are sarsaparilla, balsam copaiva, tonquin beans, procured in vast quantities, and which yield, by distillation with spirits or with water, an odorous essential oil; arnotta vanilla, which perfumes the woods, and creeps up the trees like alarge and elegantly-leaved ivy; gum copal of a spurious quality; gum caju, or the gum of the cashew apple; the pod of the cassia fistularis, and the leaves of several of the cassias, which are as good as senna; the port-landia hexandria, which is an emetic, a cathartic, a febrifuge, and a tonic; the mirabilis jalapa, or the jalap of the country, very common in Para; besides many others, which it is unnecessary to enumerate. Not a few of the trees of this province yield a milky juice, the fig-trees in particular, and they are very numerous. One of the most remarkable of these is the vaccodendron lactifera, or milkbearing cow-tree as it has been called, from its extraordinary property of yielding milk, similar, it is said, to that of a cow. The tree is one of the loftiest in the forest, being above a hundred feet in height. The fluid which it yields appears to bear the nearest resemblance to animal milk of any vegetable product. It is a rich white bland fluid, without odour, and of the taste and flavour of common milk, as a substitute for which it is extensively used. Amongst the useful and curious products of the province, the siphonia elastica or cahuchuc requires particular mention. It is the tree which produces the well-known elastic gum or India rubber, and is amongst the largest of the forest. It abounds to such an extent as to form one of the staple articles of commerce, and Para is the great emporium for supplying Europe with this article. Very strong and durable shoes, and other articles of wearing apparel, are manufactured from it. Amongst the spices and aromatics, this province produces turmeric, ginger, black pepper, cayenne, native nutmeg, laurus cinnamomoides, clove bark (having precisely the flavour of cloves, and used as such), some aromatic amomums, several species of pepper, piper amalayo, and ginger pepper. There are also laurels, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice cultivated for sale; and the tobacco raised is reported to be the genuine Orinoco.

Para yields great abundance of fruits, and also of farinaceous grains and roots. Rice, Indian corn, and the favourite mandioc root, supply the inhabitants with flour and tapioca. Cocoa is plentiful, and coffee and sugar are cultivated for exportation. Amongst the fruits of the province are several varieties of the most exquisite pine-apples, remarkably large and fine oranges, limes, sweet lemons, custard apples, cherimoyas, alligator pears of an immense size, very fine quality, and forming a part of the food of the common people; the fruits of the passiflora, tamarinds, guavas, pawpaws, superb melons, plantains, and bananas, mangoes in profusion, several species of the achras, and palm drupas; thebucari, ingas, rose-apple, bread-fruit, and jacks; figs, sapodillas, abiu, macoubea, and abrico, similar in flavour to the aprico. There is a small crop of grapes three times a year. The marauta, or arrow-root genus, affords several edible roots; and, with regard to vegetables, there are abundance of cucumbers, pumpkins, lettuce, chilis, potatoes, cabbages, a variety of beans, yams of several kinds, tornatas, and the egg-apple, besides others. Without adverting to the Flora of this province, farther than stating generally that it is exceedingly beautiful and various, the foregoing account of the vegetable kingdom of Para will sufficiently show that, in the abundance, variety, and luxuriance of its products of this description, it is not surpassed by the most favoured spots upon the globe.

Para is equally prolific in wild animals, abounding in monkeys, snakes, and lizards. The vampires fly about at night in great numbers, and are exceedingly annoying; and the vampire bat, in particular, is notorious in the country for its blood-sucking powers. The guano tribe is numerous, but harmless and timid as hares; and there are numbers of [7:17:52]tapirs 'and ounces. The river-banks are infosted with alligators, the island of Marajo being their rendezvous. The electrical eel attains to a considerable size, and sometimes kills a horse that is wading in the streams. Such is its power, that by one stroke of its body it knocks the animal down and kills it. There is an abundant supply of fish, both from the river Amazons and from the ocean; but they do not keep well. The dorado is the most esteemed. There are two large fishes of the silurus kind, which yield isinglass; but a better sort is procured from the guru-juda, a fish somewhat like a sturgeon in appearance, and caught at the mouth of the river. The pereiba is a very large fish, from five to six feet in length, and of a sharklike aspect. The pirarucoa is likewise a very large fish, which the inhabitants salt; and there are various kinds of small fish, which it is unnecessary to enumerate. The birds of these regions are well known, being famous for their beauty and splendour; and insects are so multitudinous that, according to a writer who has visited the country, “the ants alone would be the labour of a person’s life to detail; in every fruit, on every flower, there is almost a peculiar ant.”^[1. Narrative of a Voyage to the Southern Atlantic Ocean during the years 1828, 1829, and 1830; extracted from the private journal of W. H. B. Webster, surgeon of the vessel (vol. ii. p. 303). For further particulars regarding the vegetables and animals of Para, the reader is referred to this work, from which the account in the text is chiefly taken. ] Fire-flies sparkle beautifully at night amongst the trees and bushes, flashing their meteoric wings, and then vanishing in a moment. Some of the spiders are extremely large and venomous; and Para is noted for snakes, amongst which is the gigantic boa-constrictor, that kills an ox and immediately gorges the animal.

The city of Para stands on a low part of the right bank of the eastern branch of the river Para, about fifty miles from its mouth. As seen from vessels in the river, it presents nothing particularly attractive or conspicuous except its numerous churches. No lofty ranges of buildings are to be seen in this city of the western world; and, being environed by wood and the waters of the river, and built on somewhat low ground, it has altogether a humble appearance. It extends about two thirds of a mile along the Para, and is about half a mile in breadth; the highest point of ground, that on which the church of St Anne is situated, being about seventy feet above the surface of the river. Directly opposite to it, and about two miles distant, is the large island of Oncas, with several smaller ones lower down the river. Rather more than a league below the city there is an insulated rock, on which a fort called Serra is built, and to which all vessels inward or outward bound are obliged to send a boat with papers before they are allowed to proceed to or depart from the city. Somewhat less than a league above the city is the mouth of the river Guama, up which passengers to Maranham are said occasionally to proceed in an easterly direction, and, crossing a narrow neck of land, embark in boats on the sea, keeping close in along the coast. It is probably on account of the facility which this and other rivers, particularly the Toccantines, afford for a communication with the interior of Brazil, that the present site of Para was chosen. Between the mouth of the river Guama and the city there is the naval arsenal, at which large vessels are built. The city is protected by two forts, both placed on steep and rocky but not elevated points. The streets of Para are laid out at right angles to each other, but they are not remarkable for their breadth, and only some of them are paved. The houses in general are about two stories high, and well built, having latticed blinds for windows, which adds to the sombre appearance of the city Para has little of that bustle of business observable in most commercial towns, but is dull, noiseless, and cheerless. The principal building in Para is the palace, a large square, two stories in height, having an open balcony at the second story, ornamented with large wooden figures at the outer part, and palm-trees between the windows. Several of the government offices are in the palace, and it is the abode of the president. Internally it is well but not gaudily fitted up; and altogether it is a handsome and commodious building, every way worthy of the purpose to which it is appropriated. On the north, east, and west sides the ground is open, and there the troops were wont to be paraded every morning. Adjoining the palace are the walls and several arches of what was intended for a theatre; but although the design was good, the whole has proved a failure. There are a cathedral and eight churches; and there either are or were four or five convents. The cathedral is built in the form of a Latin cross; and its structure and decorations, without being gaudy, have a pleasing effect. The interior is neat, and is of sufficient size to accommodate a large audience. The bishop’s palace is in the cathedral square, and stands opposite to that building. It is a large and plain but respectable edifice; and appended to it is a church or chapel for the domestic service of the bishop and his establishment. In the same square there is a comfortable hospital. The remaining part of it is filled up with dwelling-houses. In the middle of the city is the church of St Anne; close to the water is the church of Los Mercez, and adjoining to it are the custom-house and the prison. These three form the most conspicuous range of buildings in the city, but they are nevertheless by no means remarkable. The custom-house is large, well built, and apparently commodious. It has a distinct quay, with a broad flight of wooden stairs leading to it; and immediately opposite to it stands one of the forts.

The streets of Para have little or nothing that is attractive about them. The shops and warehouses are numerous, and are tolerably well supplied with merchaftdise; but there is a deficiency of taste and elegance in their arrangement. The markets are held close by the water-side, near the church of Mercez, where women with vegetables and fruit congregate for the most part of the day; but butcher-meat is not to be obtained after ten in the forenoon, a very salutary regulation, on account of the great heat of the place. Cattle and horses are brought from Marajo and some of the neighbouring islands, where they run wild, but belong to individuals, some of whom are the proprietors of whole islands, and all the cattle upon them. The horses are not large nor powerful; and in the wild state they are valued at about five dollars each. They are occasionally exported to the islands of the West Indies. Although Para possesses few attractions as a city, the environs contain numerous beautiful shady walks and cool retreats. There is one public walk in the city, much resorted to in the evening, for the delightful promenade which it affords. The others are principally formed by rows of lofty silkcotton trees, which bear no little resemblance to the elegant horse-chestnut of Britain. The country in the immediate vicinity of Para is very beautiful, and the outlets to it are abundant. In the suburbs of the city there are several elegant little villas, with extensive gardens attached to them, rich in all the varieties of tropical produce. The road to the Nazaré church, distant about a mile from the city, is a favourite resort of the people of Para. The church, which is built on a small scale, like that of a village, is simple and neat, and most romantically situated on the skirts of a wood, with a small open area in front. Here, in the month of October, a scene of grand festivity takes [7:17:53]place, called the fair of St Nazaré, over which the clergy preside, and it is attended by every inhabitant of Para. Frolic and feasting, the usual business of fairs, with the general custom of gambling, continues for a fortnight, and the scene closes with high mass, performed in the most imposing style. Para is lamentably deficient in public institutions for education. The whole town can only boast of one school, which is under the direction of the clergy. There is not, it is said, a bookseller’s shop in Para; so that gross ignorance is the rule, not the exception. There is indeed a weekly gazette published, but it is chiefly as a channel through which the edicts of government are circulated. The laws are bad, and they are also badly administered; indeed justice is so tardy, that criminals may sometimes lie in prison till they rot, before being brought to trial. Para stands in longitude 48. 39. 45. west from Greenwich, and latitude 1. 28. south.

Notwithstanding the natural riches and the superabundant advantages of Para, it is a very poor city, and receives a subsidiary stipend from the neighbouring province of Maranham, amounting to L.8000 annually, to defray the expenses of its government. In consideration of this gratuity, Para receives the goods imported into Maranham duty free, and likewise defrays the expenses of the packets and men of war on the station. The currency of the province is a good criterion of its general poverty. Copper is the only circulating medium, and even that is of the basest description. Besides, it is, or at least was a few years ago, liable to be called up by the government at pleasure, and restamped, by which operation it became of twice its former value. “It would appear,” says Mr Webster, “that this province is the very sink of the empire in respect to currency, as all the base copper coin which is not passable in the other parts of the empire finds here a ready circulation. No better idea of it can be given than the fact, that what passes for one hundred pounds in copper coin, is really and intrinsically worth only eight pounds. Silver was at a premium of twenty-five per cent.; and the very sight of a dollar, when we were there, was quite a rarity. Hence the necessaries of life are cheap. House-rent is moderate, and there are no direct taxes.” In mentioning the price of articles, this writer observes, that “horses are worth sixteen shillings each, and are generally fed with rice chaff”. Foreign produce is by no means high at Para, the wines of Portugal and the manufactures of England being comparatively cheap.” With regard to trade, he observes, “it is said that it was the miserable policy of the Marquis de Pombal, not only to keep foreigners, but the Portuguese themselves, ignorant of the value of this province; a policy which was realizing the character of the dog in the manger illustrated by the fable. He did every thing in his power to degrade and keep it in the back ground. The situation of it is well adapted for rendering it the dépôt of an extensive and lucrative trade; but the commerce, in consequence of such short-sighted policy, is extremely small, a kind of petty retail rather than any extensive or liberal trade. A merchant is obliged to buy, from time to time, small scraps and parcels; such, for instance, as a pound or two of isinglass, by which means he is long in accumulating a stock.” All the produce is brought to Para in canoes, from a distance of six or seven hundred miles in the interior. Cocoa is the staple article of commerce, and it is produced in vast quantities; but being now so much depreciated in the foreign markets, it will not defray the expense of freight. There is, in fact, no demand for it, and the aroba, or thirty-two pounds of cocoa, is sometimes worth only twenty pence. Rice is very abundant, but cotton is scarce. Sarsaparilla, which is principally exported to Lisbon, and thence to London, balsam copaiva, tonquin beans, vanilla, farina, oils, and Indian rubber, are the chief articles of exportation.

Those principally imported consist of flour, spermaceti candles, soap, shoes, and other goods, from the United States; cotton goods and hardware from England; and wines, vinegar, olive oil, limestone, drugs, chestnuts, and some few other articles, from Lisbon. The manufactures of Para are ladies’ combs, polished with the leaf of the curatella Americana ; good leather, made of the skins of the goats or hares of the country; coarse and bad pottery; chocolate, coarse hammocks, straw and palm hats, lace, salt-fish, and jerked beef. The Indians bring down from the interior elegant wands of beautiful feathers, called sceptros, besides superbly ornamented hammocks, feather dresses, bows and arrows, and stained calabashes. The Brazilian tribes about Para appear to be a very fine, healthy, and well-conditioned race of people. Their skin is of a good firm copper colour, without a tinge of black; they have long jetty hair, with rubicund faces and intelligent features, in which a general expression of mildness predominates. “The superiority of the Brazilians over the poor African tribes of slaves at Para,” says Mr Webster, “is particularly remarkable; and the contrast is sadly against the latter. It is customary for the negro slaves to come down in groups every morning to the riverside, to purchase various articles of produce brought down from the interior by the native canoes. At this usual morning rendezvous, some bring coffee ready made for breakfast, while others bring a favourite liquor called ‘ wassa-ree,’ an infusion of a small kind of palm. This beverage has the colour of port wine, and when sweetened is highly esteemed by these people. In fact, with a banana, or alligator pear, it forms the principal fare of many, while others prefer the farina of the cassada with it.” The city of Para was built by the Jesuits in the year 1615, and, before the revolt of the negroes, contained about 20,000 inhabitants. The population of the entire province was estimated in 1830 at 190,000.

The only other town of any consideration in Para proper is Bragança, formerly Cayte or Cahcte, and the capital of a short-lived captaincy. It is distant about twenty miles from the sea, and nearly one hundred miles eastnorth-east of Para. It is a port at which coasters touch on their way from Maranham to the capital, and is one of the oldest towns in the province, with a population of about 2000 inhabitants. Villa Vicoca, or Cameta, is the largest town in the whole province next to Para. It is situated on the left bank of the Toccantines, about forty miles from its mouth, and ninety miles south-west of the capital, with which it has a distinct water communication, by means of a natural canal, navigable with the tide. This place is a mart between Para and Goyaz, and contains about 6000 inhabitants. The river Toccantines here expands to ten miles in breadth, and the tide extends twenty-six leagues higher up, to the registry of Fort Alcobaça, the navigation being thus far uninterrupted by either rocks or rapids.

The colony of Para was originally an offset from that of Maranham. In the year 1615, Francisco Caldeiro sailed from St Luiz with two hundred men in three caravels, intrusted with the project of selecting an eligible situation for a settlement more immediately within the vicinity of the river Amazons, with a view to promote the navigation of that river, and to frustrate the attempts of any other nation to form settlements in this direction. The Dutch at one time had establishments upon both banks of the river, but they were expelled by the Portuguese about the year 1622. The early history of the province exhibits the same nefarious system of slave-hunting* that was practised in almost all the captaincies; but it was carried on in Para with peculiar cruelty. An end, however, was at length put to the captivity of the Indians, none but negroes being permitted to be sold as slaves; and under [7:17:54]the Jesuits the population became more numerous than that of the eastern provinces. The evil consequences of their expulsion were more perceptible here than in any other part of Brazil, says Mr Southey, “because nowhere had so many aldeias been established, nor had they anywhere else been in so flourishing a state.” The city of Para was recently the scene of a fearful revolt of the native Indians. The cause of quarrel was the confinement of an Indian charged with having committed some offence. His brother, having vainly solicited his liberation, assembled a body of about three hundred of his countrymen, and attacked the city on the 14th of August 1835. The assault was at first unsuccessful, and the contest continued for several days without any result; but the insurgents having gradually gained possession of the most favourable positions, the inhabitants were seized by a panic, and the Indians, rushing in through the by-lanes and narrow streets, commenced an indiscriminate slaughter, at the same time sacking and pillaging the city. An expedition sent against them proved unsuccessful; but they voluntarily abandoned the city, and the imperial troops entered it on the 13th of May 1836. When Para fell into the hands of the insurgents, it was said to have contained British property to the amount of L.300,000, but after the capture of the place scarcely a vestige of it remained. (r. r. r.)