Itapeva, situated near the royal road, or estrada real, as it is denominated, in the vicinity of the Verde, is at present inconsiderable; it has a church, dedicated to St. Anna.
Appiahi, a town of the same class as the preceding, is at a great distance from the road, near the source of the river from which it derives its name, and in the vicinity of a morro, from whence, at its origin, much gold was extracted. It has one church.
Hitu, a large and flourishing town, is the head of the comarca of its name, having a church of the Lady of Candellaria, a Franciscan convent, an hospicio of slippered Carmelites, an hospital of Lazars, with its hermitage, others of Bom Jezus, the Lady of Patrocinio, and Santa Rita. All its buildings are of taipa, and some streets are paved. It has the usual royal professors, and is situated twenty-five miles to the north-north-east of Sorocaba, sixty to the west-north-west of St. Paulo, and two from the left margin of the Tiete, which forms at this situation a large and interesting fall, by the name of which this town is designated. Excessive heat is experienced here in the summer months. The soil in the environs is peculiarly adapted to the culture of the sugar cane, of which there are extensive plantations, constituting the riches of its inhabitants, who also raise cattle and divers necessaries of life.
Porto Feliz, formerly called Araritaguaba, is a moderate town, with houses of wood, seated upon the left margin of the Tiete. It has a church of the Lady May dos Homens, (Mother of Men,) is nearly eighteen miles to the west of Hitu, and twenty-five to the north-north-west of Sorocaba, and is the port of the navigators to Cuiaba. The inhabitants are cattle-breeders, and cultivate the cane, feijao, and Indian corn.
St. Carlos, now so named from its church, but originally called Campinas, is situated near a small stream, something more than a league from the Tibaia, and six to the north of Hitu, and does not at present surpass mediocrity, but is well supplied and enjoys facilities for becoming more considerable. It is a land abounding with waters and wood, consequently well adapted for the culture of the cane, of which there are at present some rich plantations, also of wheat, feijao, and Indian corn. It is upon the road from Jundiahi to Mugi-Mirim; from the latter it is eight leagues distant in a direct line. Its district is bounded on the west by the new parish of Percicaba, whose church is situated in a delightful plain that terminates in a small hill upon the southern margin of the river that affords it the name, and near a beautiful cascade of great height, which presents a barrier to further navigation. Rich in majestic woods, and of great fertility, it is favourable to various branches of agriculture, particularly the cane, of which there are plantations and engenhos.
CHAP. X.
PROVINCE OF MATTO GROSSO.
First Explorers—Gold discovered—Two Brothers appointed for the purpose of exacting the Fifths on Gold—Their atrocious Conduct—People attracted here by the Fame of Gold—Destruction of a Party by the Indians—Payagoa and Guaycuru Nations discovered—Their Alliance—Their fatal Attacks upon the Portuguese—Their Disunion—Continued Hostilities of the Guaycurus—Conflicts with them—Attempts to make Peace with the Indians—Treachery of the Guaycurus—Severe Drought—Arrival of a Governor—Promotes the Navigation to Para—Extent and Boundaries.—Division into Districts—District of Camapuania—Mineralogy—Phytology—Rivers—Zoology—Various Indian Tribes—Povoações.—District of Matto Grosso—Mountains—Mineralogy—Phytology—Zoology—Rivers—Capital.—District of Cuiaba—Mineralogy—Phytology—Zoology—Rivers—Povoações—Indians.—District of Bororonia—Indians—Rivers—Lakes.—District of Juruenna—Indians—Rivers—Forts.—District of Arinos—Indians—Rivers.—District of Tappiraquia—Indians—Rivers.—Lands of these Districts fertile and auriferous.
The Vincentistas having reduced the Guanhana, and Carijo nations, they began to make incursions beyond the Paranna, in pursuit of other Indians equally pusillanimous, and less numerous. Aleixo Garcia and his brother or son, accompanied by a numerous band of domestic Indians, having passed the Paraguay, and penetrated to the proximity of the Andes in the middle of the sixteenth century, were the first known discoverers of the southern part of this vast province; and Manuel Correa, a Paulista (as well as the others) having passed the Araguaya, a considerable time afterwards, penetrated to its northern part.
It will be difficult perhaps, to ascertain the names of the other certanistas, or commandants of bandeiras,[20] who visited this territory in quest of Indians, during the interval from its discovery to the year 1718, when Antonio Pires de Campos, also a Paulista, proceeded up the river Cuiaba in search of the Cuchipo Indians, who had an aldeia, where at this day is situated the hermitage of St. Gonçalo. In the following year Pascoal Moreira Cabral advanced up the river Cuchipo Mirim, and very soon discovered granites of gold. He left here a portion of his company to accumulate as much as possible of it, and proceeded higher up the river, with the greater part of the bandeirantes, as far as the situation at present called Forquilha, where they caught some young Indians ornamented with pieces of gold, which proved that the country abounded with that metal; they were most diligent in their searches after it, and collected a considerable portion. Returning to the party left behind, they descended with them the river below, to the aldeia which Antonio Pires had visited the preceding year, where each one exhibited the quantity of gold he had collected. Some found themselves possessed of one hundred oitavas, (2dwt. 7⅜gr. each,) others of half a pound weight, and many more of smaller portions, but they were generally well satisfied; those who accompanied Captain Moreira Cabral had exceeded the rest in good fortune. He had for his own share one pound and a half of gold. The whole party greatly lamented the want of mining instruments, as they were compelled to use their hands in removing the earth or sand. They soon began to construct cabanas, or dwelling places upon the margins of the rivers, determined to persist as long as the precious ore lasted. A few weeks had only elapsed, when another bandeira arrived at the new establishment, having been upon the margins of the river St. Lourenço, where they received intelligence of this discovery, and determined to augment the party.
The whole now consulted upon the circumstances attending their situation, and resolved to despatch Joze Gabriel Antunes to the city of St. Paulo, with samples of gold, and tidings of their success; also to announce to the governor their solicitude to receive the necessary instructions for the common weal and service of his Majesty. On the same day, the 8th of April, 1719, on which this resolution was formed, the party unanimously elected Captain Pascoal Moreira Cabral for their guarda mor regente until the arrival of orders from the governor of St. Paulo, investing him with much authority, and promising him implicit obedience. Antunes consumed many months, from the various difficulties which beset his way, before he reached St. Paulo, where the new discovery of the mines being divulged, numerous persons took their departure for them the following year, in various caravans, none of which arrived at Cuiaba without loss; many died on the way of fevers and different disasters. The misfortunes and losses which the numerous bandeiras, that continued to bend their course towards this province, annually sustained, were the result of ill-regulated measures, and the absence of judicious combinations for preventing disorder upon the march, and obviating the palpable neglect of proceeding without fishing instruments, which would have preserved many from famishing, and without fire arms for shooting game, or defence against wild animals and the natives.