The Ribeira de Ignape is navigable for steamboats of light draught at all seasons up to Xiririca, and at the ordinary state of the water, during the rainy season, those drawing eight feet can pass up it. The part affording least depth of water is at the mouth, all other parts of the river, being very favorable for navigation.
It runs very smoothly opposite the site of Caiacauga; and in passing down a few miles this afternoon, I was impressed with its special adaptation for navigation.
I visited, in company with Senor Miguel, the farm of Senor Manoel Roberto de Almaida, about two miles down the river; and though being under cultivation, it interested me greatly.
Cotton of American seed had been growing four years without pruning, and yielded two crops a year. The present prospect for a crop is fair, and I counted an average stalk having forty-two grown bolls upon it, while an isolated stalk had eighty-five bolls. I saw a very large stalk of cotton separate from the planting of the field, where it had ample space to spread, which must have had, at the least calculation, two hundred bolls.
This is the first specimen seen which has been growing for such a length of time, and it has not even been cut off, as most of the plants have been, which are more than one year’s growth. The appropriateness of this climate for the continuous production of cotton from a single planting during four years, is illustrated by a considerable field growing in this place; and apart from being arranged in rows, it affords but little evidence of attention. The land is evidently inferior to most of the surrounding territory, and yet it is of that dark gray order, with an admixture of coarse gravel, that is usually best adapted to the culture of cotton. The recently planted cotton also looks well, and if it was cultivated properly, would doubtless far exceed the yield of that which has been on the land four years.[[30]]
Coffee trees of great age were seen here still bearing some fruit, and younger trees, with a full crop of the berries, indicated a climate well suited to this article. This man is eighty-five years old, and has a sister ninety years old living in this neighborhood, giving good evidence of the healthfulness of the country.
Tuesday, January 9, 1866.
I came down the river this morning in a canoe with Senor Miguel and his son, to his plantation at Ponto-Grosso, a distance of forty miles from Caiacauga. The rain was falling most of the time of our descent, and prevented me from seeing much of the land or crops on either side of the river. The few patches of corn seen did not present a favorable aspect, but having no information as to the period of its planting, I could not judge correctly of it.
We landed at a sandy beach, and breakfasted upon the abundant supplies brought with us; and dined after our arrival, having taken eight hours to make the trip.
The Rio Inquia enters the Ribeira eight miles above here, and adds greatly to the amount of water, so that it bears a striking resemblance to the Mississippi river, in the character of the stream and the general aspects of the adjacent country. It is a magnificent body of water, and, with the exception of a single small steamboat, is only navigated by large canoes, which transport the products along its margin to Ignape, a distance of forty miles below this point.