_Boundaries--Islands--Rivers--Towns--Indians._
Guianna forms the eastern and southern portion of the region
denominated Terra Firma, confined on the north by the ocean and the
river Oronoco; on the south by the Amazons; on the east by the ocean;
and on the west by the rivers Hyapura and Oronoco.
The Portuguese Guianna, which includes that belonging to the French
since 1809, comprises the southern part of that vast province and
celebrated island, and is bounded on the north by the Spanish
possessions and Surinam: the other boundaries are those already
mentioned. It is nine hundred miles in length from east to west, and
three hundred at its greatest width, and extends from 6° north to
4° south latitude. The days and nights, with very little variation,
are equal all the year, and the climate is exceedingly warm. The
territory is not generally fertile, and has more of a flat than
mountainous aspect. In many parts of the interior it is very stony,
with indications of ancient volcanos. It is irrigated by many navigable
rivers, some of which originate in an extensive range of mountains, of
no great altitude, prolonged with the Amazons from east to west, but at
a considerable distance from it.
Trees are only of magnitude in the vicinity of the rivers and in the
substantial and humid soils. The most useful are those of the clove,
pechurim, capivi, Indian rubber, and cocoa.
Minerals of iron have been found; there are symptoms of silver, and
some stones of estimation.
North Cape (Cabo do Norte) is the principal cape, situated in 2° north.
ISLANDS.--Terra dos Coelhos is between the mouths of the
Aruary and the Carapapury, with a channel on the west and the ocean on
the east, on which side is the point called North Cape above mentioned.
Maraca is an island eighteen miles in length, with proportionable
width, a little to the north-west of the Coelhos. It has in the centre
a large lake, stored with fish, and its eastern coast is assailed by
the Pororoca.
Between Macappa and North Cape a narrow channel is formed by the
islands which range along the coast; and here is remarked a singular
phenomenon, denominated pororoca, (the same term we have already
described as given to the contention of the waters at the mouth of
the Mearim, in the province of Maranham,) which continues three days,
at the periods of the change and full moon, when the tides are at the
highest. An immense volume of water, twelve to fifteen feet in height,
rolls from one beach to the other, followed by a second, and third,
and sometimes a fourth, of equal magnitude, with little interval, and
with such prodigious rapidity that it destroys every thing opposed to
its overwhelming course. The tide, in place of gradually rising in six
hours, reaches its greatest height in one or two minutes, with such a
terrific noise that it is heard seven or eight miles off.
The island of Penitencia, called Baylique by the Portuguese, in
consequence of the tossing which the canoes here sustain from the sea,
is six miles long, and sixty south of North Cape.
The islands of Croa are five in a file, separated by narrow channels,
and lie to the south-west of Baylique. The whole are flat, and covered
with mangroves, where there is an infinity of musquitos and insects.
The river Nhamunda, by corruption Jamunda, divides this vast province
into eastern and western, serving also for a limit between the
jurisdictions of the ouvidores of Para and of Rio Negro.
RIVERS.--In the western part are, first, the Hyapuru and the
Rio Negro; afterwards the Rio Branco (White River); the Matary, with
two mouths; the Urubu, communicating with the river Aniba by the great
lake Saraca, which is near the Amazons, and is there discharged by six
mouths.
In the eastern part are the Trombetas, originally Oriximina, large, and
entering the Amazons below Rio Negro; the Gurupatuba; the Anauirapucu,
by corruption Arannapucu, the Vaccarapy, and the Aruary, which enters
the ocean.
The river Hyapura originates in the province of Popayan, and, after
having watered eleven hundred miles of country, running towards the
south-east, forming numerous islands of all dimensions, incorporates
itself with the Amazons by its several mouths. Its adjacent lands are
flat, inundated, and bad: Caqueta is its first name in the country
where it rises.
The Rio Negro rises also in the province of Popayan, to the north-east
of the Hyapura, with which it runs parallel an equal distance. Forty
miles before it enters the Amazons it is divided into two unequal
branches. Condamine says that he measured the eastern branch, ten
miles from the Amazons, and that he found it in the narrowest part
seven thousand two hundred and eighteen feet in width. This river
augments considerably as it approaches the Amazons, is in parts from
twelve to eighteen miles in width, and is divided into various branches
by numerous islands, which render the navigation not unfavourable.
Its water exhibits such a dark aspect that it has been said to appear
like black ink; it is, notwithstanding, transparent, diuretic, and
salubrious, retaining its clearness for many leagues after it enters
the bed of the Amazons. It has the same fish as the latter, and affords
navigation to the centre of various districts. The greatest floods are
in August. We will describe its numerous confluents, together with the
povoaçoes upon its margins.