Phytology.—The cocoa-nut tree is abundant in many situations near the beach. In the interior there are many species of the palm. In the woods are divers trees of excellent timber, and some resinous. The cedar is not unknown in all the districts. Amongst fruits are the cajue, jabuticaba, ambuzo, aracaza, and occasionally groves, almost entirely of the mangaba tree, are met with; there is also the cupahyba tree, and a variety of other vegetation used in pharmacy. Lights are universally made from the oil of mamona and bees-wax.
Rivers and Lakes.—Rio Grande, originally Pottengy, comes from the centre of the province, increasing with the waters of various others, generally inconsiderable, and discharges itself fifteen miles to the south of Cape St. Roque. The margins are in great part covered with handsome mangroves as far as the tide advances. Large barks proceed up for the space of near forty miles, from thence upwards only canoes.
The Appody has one hundred and thirty miles of course, formerly denominated Upanema, a name which at present is appropriated to another smaller river that unites it, on the right, ten miles above its mouth. It runs almost wholly through a flat country, where there are various lakes, which by degrees restore to it the waters introduced into them by its floods.
The waters of those lakes, amongst which are the Apanhapeixe, (Catch Fish,) about four miles in circuit; Pacco, a little less, and Varges, six miles long and narrow, totally disappear in years of drought. Large canoes advance up this river to the arraial of St. Luzia, situated upon the left margin, twenty miles from the sea. From this situation downwards the famous salterns of Mossoro are met with, the salt of which is as white as snow; they have tended to the increase of population, as well as occasioned the river to be visited by a great number of small craft, which convey it to different parts.
The Aguamare runs northward, like the preceding, and is discharged twenty miles to the west of Point Tres Irmaos by two mouths, formed by a small island that produces salt; large canoes proceed up it some leagues. Its entrance is pointed out by two mountains, called Cambujys, of unequal elevation, both in the form of a sugar-loaf, and seven miles distant from the sea.
The Gunepabu, also called Siara Mirim, after having irrigated an extensive country, with many small aldeias, is discharged three miles north of the Rio Grande, with considerable width and two fathoms in depth.
The river Cunhahu, otherwise Crumatahy, which enters the ocean five miles south of Point Pipa, waters the establishments of many fazendeiros, gathers various small rivers, and affords navigation to canoes for some leagues.
The Tareyry, which is the outlet of Lake Groahyras, discharges itself twenty miles south of the Rio Grande. This lake, ten miles long, communicates with two smaller ones, is well stored with fish, and at a certain point is only one mile from the sea. The Guajehy empties itself four miles to the north of the bay of Marcos.
The Piranhas (spoken of in the province of Parahiba) is here the most considerable river, and its largest floods are in March and April. It is discharged by five mouths, the principal of which are the eastern, called Amargozo, the Conchas the western, and the Cavallos the central, being the most voluminous, and twenty miles to the west of the Aguamare; large barks proceed up to Villa Nova da Princeza. Upon its margins are the abundant salterns of Assu, the primitive name of the river. A great portion of the salt is consumed for salting fish, the main part of which is sent to Pernambuco.
The Serido, which has one hundred miles of course, and the largest confluent of the Piranhas in this province, enters on the right eighty miles above its embouchure. An imaginary line drawn north and south from the point of Tres Irmaos divides this province into two parts, a little unequal.