Eighteen miles to the south-west of the capital is the arraial and parish of St. Joze de Mossamedes, founded in the year 1774, for the habitation of a numerous colony of Indians, consisting of three different nations, the Carajas and Javahes, brought from the district of Nova Beira, and the Accroas, who lived to the east of the serra Parannan, in the territory where the Correntes has its heads.
Twenty-eight miles to the south-west of St. Joze, and forty-five from the capital, is situated Aldeia Maria, near the margin of the river Fartura, in a plain constantly refreshed by breezes. It was founded in 1781, for the establishment of almost three hundred Cayapo Indians, who were augmented in the following year by more than two hundred of the same nation, invited thither by the report of the good treatment which their comrades experienced. Afterwards came various mallocas, or parties, amongst whom arrived some caciques, or captains, one of whom had hair resembling that of a mulatto. One cripple and some blind, amongst so many, prove that this nation are not greatly subjected to natural bodily defects. At the beginning they showed themselves grateful for the benefits conferred upon them, faithful to their promises, and without any remarkable propensity to thieving: some learned trades the most wanted in the colony. The women, after a short time, learned to spin, weave, and sew. This establishment, which was expected to have become flourishing by this time, is considerably fallen off, in consequence, it is said, of the repugnancy of the whites to ally themselves with the Indians.
Within this district is the new arraial of Annicuns, situated near the right margin of the Boys, which here has only the appearance of a small stream. It is forty miles to the south-east of the capital, and has a church dedicated to St. Francisco d’Assis. Its inhabitants are miners and agriculturists. The first have formed a company for mining. The land is appropriated to various productions.
District of Nova Beira.
The district of Nova Beira is to the north of that of Goyaz, and extends northward, between the rivers Araguaya and Tucantines, to its termination at the angle of their confluence. It is upwards of four hundred miles in length from north to south, and one hundred and thirty in width. The island of St. Anna belongs to it.
Almost the whole yet belongs to various savage nations. The Chavante tribe, which appears to be the most numerous, possesses the major part towards the north. Their neighbours are the Pochetis, the Noroguages, the Appynages, the Carajas, the Cortys, and the Xerentes. The Chavante Indians after being established, and many baptized, in the aldeia of Pedro Terceiro, (in the situation of Carretao, district of Pilar,) built expressly for them, in consequence of the vassalage which they voluntarily offered, deserted all at one time, and returned to their natural mode of life. They are at present the most formidable enemies of the Portuguese.
The river Crixa, (the northern,) the St. Antonio, and the Taboca, are the most considerable amongst those which enter the Tucantines. The large river Chavante, formed by many others which irrigate the territory of the tribe from whom it takes the name, flows into the Araguaya a little above the re-union of its two arms which form the island of St. Anna.
The povoaçoes are Pontal and Matanca.
Four hundred miles to the north of Villa Boa, and nearly fifteen from the margin of the Tucantines, is situated the arraial of Pontal, so called in consequence of a point or elbow which the river forms in its vicinity. It was founded in 1738, and has a parochial church dedicated to Senhor Bom Jesus, of Boa Morte. Its inhabitants breed cattle, and cultivate mandioca, Indian corn, legumes, and some cotton. All the different species of fruit are known here.
The width of the Tucantines, at the passage from this arraial to that of Carmo, which is distant thirty-five miles to the east, is three hundred and seventy-four fathoms at the period of its greatest diminution, and more than five hundred when its bed is full. Porto Real is the name of this passage.