or Great River, which the first discoverers considered as the chief, on account of its abundant waters, unites with the eastern side of the Paraguay in lat. 27° 25´, and their united streams take the name of the Rio de la Plata, which originated in the following circumstance:—Martim de Sousa, the first donatary of the capitania of St. Vicente, furnished Aleixo Garcio, with an adequate escort to explore the hitherto untrodden wilds to the west of the extensive coast of Brazil. This intrepid Portuguese, by the route of the Tieté, reached the Paraguay, which he crossed, and penetrated considerably into the interior, from whence he returned, it is said, loaded with silver, and some gold: but he halted on the Paraguay, and waited for the coming of his son, a youth of tender years, with some of his people, whilst he sent forward an account of the discovery. He was surprised by a body of Indians, who killed him, took his son prisoner, and carried off all his riches: the year following, sixty Portuguese, who were sent in search of Garcia, shared the same fate. The Spaniards who first settled on this river, seeing so much silver amongst these Indians, and supposing it to be the produce of the country, called the river La Plata.[76]
The Parana derives its principal sources from the west side of the mountains of Mantiqueira, twenty-five leagues west of the town of Paraty.
[CHAP. XIX.]
Account of the Capitania of Rio Grande.
THE capitania of Rio Grande is one of the most important in Brazil. It is of considerable extent, and is bounded by the capitania of S. Paulo on the north, Matto Grosso on the west, and by the Spanish territories, between it and the Rio de la Plata, on the south.
Its port is situated about 32° south; it is dangerous to enter, first from its being shoal water, and next, from a violent sea always running, and from the shifting of the sands. Notwithstanding these inconveniences, there is a great trade carried on from this place to all the ports of Brazil, in brigs and small vessels that do not draw above ten feet water. After passing the bar, which is long, they enter into an inland sea, or lagoon, of deep water, and navigate to the north and west to its head, where the principal river runs into it. To the southward is the lagoon Meni, and the neutral ground; a little to the southward of which is the Spanish fortress of Santa Theresa, lately put in repair.
The principal town is defended by many forts, some of which are upon islets. Since it was taken from the Spaniards by General Coimbra, the Portuguese have much strengthened it, and now there is a very considerable force of cavalry, horse-artillery, and foot-soldiers; so that at a short notice, with the addition of the militia, a body of five or seven thousand men might be calculated upon.
The climate is considered very fine, and the soil so productive, that this district may be called the granary of Brazil; the wheat grown here is shipped to all the ports on the coast where bread is used. Farming, however, is carried on in so slovenly a manner, that the grain is always rough, bad skinned, and extremely foul. It is packed in raw hides, which are sewed up like sacks; it swells, and heats frequently on the passage from Rio Grande to the more northerly ports; and often, after landing in Rio de Janeiro, it is left on the quay exposed for days to the rain.