The comarca of Serro Frio takes its name from a mountain, which of all others is the most celebrated for the riches which it contains. It is limited on the north by the province of Bahia, which also with that of Porto Seguro confines it on the east; on the south by the comarca of Villa Rica; and on the west by that of Sabara. It comprises nearly three hundred miles from north to south, and one hundred and eighty from east to west. The country is for the greater part very mountainous, and watered by numerous rivers, with extensive charnecas, or sterile lands, in the northern part, which only serve for the breeding of cattle. There are, however, generally portions of land, more or less considerable, appropriated to the culture of cotton, Indian corn, rice, mandioca, legumes, tobacco, some rye, and sugar. It is the richest in precious stones; and has mines of all the metals.
Mountains.—There is a grand cordillera, (a continuation of the Mantiqueira,) which does not always retain the same name, altitude, or direction, breaking in many parts, and stretching out various arms at divers points, traversing the comarca almost north and south. In the eastern part there is the serra of Esmeraldas; the serra Branca, which separates the comarca from that of Sabara for a considerable space, and afterwards inclines to the north-east to the limit of the province; the serra of Gram Mogol; that of Peixe Brabo; of Gurutuba, of Conceiçao, and of Almas.
Rivers.—The principal are the Jequitinhonha, the Verde, the Pardo, the Mucury, the Arassuahy, the Sassuhy, the Corrente, and the St. Antonio.
The Jequitinhonha, so celebrated for the prodigious quantity of diamonds that has been drawn from its bed, rises in the serra of Serro Frio. After having described many windings, and watered an extensive country, it receives on the left the Itucambyrussu, which flows from the west, and traverses the serra of Gram Mogol. Having run for a considerable space, and inclining to the east, its waters are increased by the Vaccaria, which enters on the same side, and descends also from the serra of Gram Mogol, traversing certams[24] pastured by cattle. A few leagues below it is joined on the right by the Arassuahy, which is superior, and originates also in the Serro Frio, a little to the east of it, and brings the waters of the St. Antonio, the Itamarandiba, and the Setuval, with others smaller, whose heads are on the northern side of the serra Esmeraldas. Some leagues below the confluence of the Arassuahy, the Piauhy enters, coming from the south-west, through woods abounding with game that affords food to the savages. This river and its confluents abound with chrysolites, sapphires, crystals, pingos d’agua, and other precious stones. The Jequitinhonha gathers on the left the Hottinga, on the right the St. Java, and leaving the province flows north-east, forming a boundary to the ocean between the provinces of Porto Seguro and Bahia, where it is discharged under the name of the Belmonte. All these rivers are stored with the fish called doirado, piampara, piau, piabanha, trahira, sorubin, and mandin, called also roncadore.
The river Verde is large and flows through extensive certams abounding with cattle, which forms the wealth of many farmers, who live dispersed, principally in the vicinity of the southern portion of the serra of Gram Mogol. After a considerable course to the north, it receives on the right the Guaratuba, which originates near the northern portion of the last mentioned serra, and brings with it the Pacuhy, that issues from the serra Pranca, and joins it on the eastern side. Ten miles below the mouth of the Guaratuba, the Verde Pequeno (small) enters, which flows from the Morro da Chapeo, a portion of the serra Almas, taking a westerly course, and forming the northern division of the province. At this part the Verde runs with little variation to the west, and continues in the same direction till it joins the St. Francisco. These rivers water sterile districts, which will never become populous.
The Pardo forms itself in the vicinity of the serra Almas, runs south-east, gathering the Preto, which has its source in the serra Branca, inclines to the east, and enters the comarca of Ilheos, where it is discharged into the ocean by the name of Patype.
The Mucury, whose principal head springs to the south of the serra Esmeraldas, after receiving by the left margin the large and small Preto, and lower, the Todos os Santos on the right, enters the province of Porto Seguro, where it increases, and falls into the ocean. The territory which this river passes, (before leaving the comarca,) and its said tributaries, was formerly possessed by the Macuni, Panhame, Capocho, and Machacary Indians. At the present day the ferocious Aimbores are its wandering inhabitants.
The first river Preto, about ten miles above its mouth, gathers on the left the small stream of Americanas, formed by three rivulets issuing from the same serra. Near the central one was found in 1811, a beautiful aqua-marina, of more than fifteen pounds weight, and another of four pounds. The Sassuhy, the Corrente, and the St. Antonio, are tributaries of the river Doce, and flow through the most southern part of the comarca.
On Stone by C. Shoosmith from a Sketch by Jas. Henderson.