Upwards of twenty miles further is the Pederneiras, where the river is thickly overspread with immense stones, obliging the cargoes of the canoes to be carried on men’s shoulders for nearly half a mile.
Descending ten miles more the Paredao is met with, where the course of the river is contracted, and its waters precipitated among rocks for a short space.
The Ties Irmaos (Three Brothers) is the next, about twenty miles further, formed by various falls, generally small, for the distance of near a mile.
Twenty-five miles lower is the Girau, where the river flows with great rapidity, separated among rocks and precipitated over five falls in a short distance. The canoes are here also carried over land.
Five miles further is the Caldeirao de Inferno, (the Infernal Cauldron,) three miles in extent, forming, in a certain situation, a most perilous whirlpool, which requires much vigilance and labour to the navigator.
Eighteen miles beyond the preceding is the fall of Morinhos, so called from three small morros, or rocks, a short distance from the western margin, covered with sarsaparilla.
Passing an interval of twelve miles the interesting fall, denominated the Salto do Theotonio is next presented for contemplation, being an accumulation of rugged rock, twenty-six feet in height, broken into four parts, dividing the waters of the Madeira into as many channels, each having the appearance of a large river. Parallel with this majestic sluice a reef of rock extends from the eastern margin almost to the western, impelling the volume of waters of three channels into the fourth, the whole flowing with immense profundity and greater rapidity by this strait between the extremity of the reef and the river’s left bank. The canoes are dragged over land, with much difficulty and labour, nearly half a mile.
Five miles lower is the fall of St. Antonio, which the river passes by three currents, formed by two small stony islands. This is the first which interrupts the navigation of the canoes proceeding upwards, and is situated in the latitude of 8° 48′.
Three months is generally consumed by the navigators of this river in advancing up from this fall to that of Guajirumirim in the Guapore.
From the fall of St. Antonio to the embouchure of the Madeira there are more than thirty islands, from three to ten miles in length, almost all of them covered with superb timber; those of a smaller size are much more numerous, the largest is called Minas, which is ten miles long and three in width, and is sixty miles below the mouth of the river Marmellos.