Population.] The total population at present is estimated at 2,400,000. In 1792 it consisted, according to Hassel, of 2,184,273, of which number one sixth were whites of Portuguese origin, one half negroes and mulattoes, and the remainder independant Indians. From 16,000 to 20,000 negroes have usually been imported annually from Africa. The Indians occupy nearly the whole country, except the districts along the coast. They are hostile to the whies, and frequently make incursions upon the infant settlements in the interior. A considerable district lying between the mountains and the coast, to the east of the province of Minas Geraes, is inhabited by a race of cannibals called the Anthropophagi. Government and Religion.] Brazil is a Portuguese colony, governed by a viceroy. In the year 1806, when Portugal was invaded by the French, the royal family, to escape the impending danger, removed to Brazil and established their government at Rio Janeiro, which continued for 14 years to be the capital of the Portuguese possessions in both hemispheres. The king has now returned to Europe, and Brazil is reduced to its former state of colonial dependence on the mother country. The religion is Roman Catholic, under one archbishop and eight bishops. Commerce. The commerce of Brazil was formerely subjected by the Portuguese government. to all the usual restraints imposed by the colonial system of Europe. But after the emigration of the court to Rio Janeiro, the old restrictions were done away, and a commercial treaty was concluded with Great Britain, by which all the ports of the country were opened to British ves sels and produce, on payment of a duty of 15 per cent. British manufactures of every description are now imported to a great extent. Portugal continues to send oil, wine, brandy, linens and cottons. From the United States are imported flour, saited provisions, household furniture and naval stores India and China goods are also in great plenty. The principal exports are cotton, coffee, sugar, tobacco, and Brazil wood from the northern provinces; gold and diamonds, from the middle; and wheat, hides, horn, hair and tallow from the southern. BUENOS AYRES. Situation and Extent.] Buenos Ayres is bounded N. by Peru; E. by Brazil; S. E. by the Atlantic Ocean; S. by Patagonia, and W. by the Andes, which separate it from Chili and Peru. The desert of Atacama, lying along the coast between Peru and Chili, is also included in this country, which makes the Pacific ocean the western boundary for nearly 300 miles. It extends from 14° to 38° 30' S. lat. a distance of more than 1,700 miles, and the number of square miles is computed at 1,300,000. Divisions.] This country was divided in 1778 into eight i tendancies, and each intendancy was subdivided into partidos of districts, which took their names from their principal towns. Intendancies. 1. Buenos Ayres, 2. Paraguay, 3. Cordova, 4. Salta, 5. Potosi, 8. Cochabamba, Chief towns. Buenos Ayres, Montevideo, S'ta Fe, Corrientes. Cordova, Mendoza. S. Juan, S. Luis, Rioja. Potosi, Chayanta, Chicas. Chuquisaca or La Plata, Yamparaes, Oruro. Orepesa, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Mizque. Besides the intendancies there are the two military governments of Chiquitos and Moxos, which comprehend very extensive tracts in the northern part of the country inhabited principally by Indians. Face of the Country.] The chain of the Andes runs from south to north along the whole western boundary, and the country for several hundred miles to the east of the Andes is generally mountainous; the territory east of the rivers Paraguay and Parana is a fine, waving, well watered country; the intermediate district, lying between these rivers and the mountains, and extending fromt north to south through the whole length of the country, consists of extensive plains. In the north these plains are elevated, and during the rainy season are in many parts liable to be overflowed; in the south they are called Pampas, and are remarkably dry and destitute of trees. One of the Pampas, which commences near the banks of the Parana, extends beyond the southern boundary into Patagonia, and measured in its entire extent is 1,500 miles long, and from the ocean to its western limits 500 broad. Over all this immense space there are no trees, no hills, not a single object to relieve or vary the scene. The eye passes over it as over the ocean in a calm. Climate. In so extensive a country there is of course a considerable variety of climate. In the plains the heat of summer is extremely oppressive, while in the more elevated regions the atmosphere is cool and healthy. At the city of Buenos Ayres, in the southern part of the country, the thermometer occasionally in the course of the winter descends to the freezing point, but if this happens frequently the winter is reckoned severe. The north winds invariably bring heat, and have the effect of the Sirocco on the feelings. When moderate they continue for several days, but when violent they seldom last longer than 24 hours, shifting to the south and southeast with rain and thunder. The southwest winds blowing over the immense plains or pampas in the south, are called Pamperos. During their prevalence the atmosphere is remarkably dry, and animal putrefaction scarcely goes on at all. Animal substances dry up, and this quality in the air enables the inhabitants to burn in their furnaces and kilns, the fesh and bones of animals. Sheep were formerly dryed, stacked, and sold at two dollars and a half the hundred for these purposes Soil and productions.] A large portion of the soil is fertile, and owing to the variety of climate, capable of producing all the common fruits and vegetables of the temperate and torrid zones. Such, however, are the temptations to pasturage, for which the country is eminently adapted, that agriculture has been hitherto almost entirely neglected. Immense herds of cattle and horses graze on the extensive plains, and constitute at this time the principal source of wealth. The territory cast of the Paraguay and Parana is considered the fairest portion of the country, the soil being every where exceedingly fertile, producing the sugar cane, the orange, fig, olive and vine, together with wheat, Indian corn and barley. Hitherto, however, this fine soil has been appropriated chiefly to pasturage. The grounds in the immediate neighborhood of the cities are in general highly improved. The province of Paraguay produces that singular herb called matte or paraguay tea, which, being prepared by boiling it in water like common tea, makes the favorite beverage of the inhabitants, and is extensively used in various parts of South America. Large quantities of it are annually exported to Peru and Chili. Rivers. The Paraguay is the principal river of this country. It rises in the Andes of Chiquitos, in the very centre of South America, and pursuing a southerly course of more than 2,000 miles enters the ocean by a mouth 150 miles broad, between cape Santa Maria on the north, and cape St. Antonio on the south. Its principal tributaries are the Parana and the Uruguay from the east, and the Pilcomayo, the Vermejo, the Salado, and the Salladillo from the west. From the junction of the Parana to the junction of the Uruguay it is usually called Parana river; and from the junction of the Uruguay to the ocean, the Rio de la Plata. It is navigable for large vessels to Assumption, a little above the mouth of the Pilcomayo, and nearly 1,000 miles from the ocean; and for small craft to the 18th degree of S. lat. Just above this parallel it overflows its banks, during the rainy seasons, and spreads itself over the flat country, forming an immense lake, called Lake Xarayes, which is generally 330 miles long and 120 broad, but so shallow that it is not navigable in any part except for canoes and small boats. The Parana, which robs the Paraguay of its name, rises in the mountains of Brazil in the province of Minas Geraes, and running on the whole in a southwesterly direction for about 1,000 miles, joins the Paraguay at Corrientes. It runs in a broad, deep channel, and seldom overflows its banks. In lat. 24° is the fall of Itu, formed by a collection of rocks, which rise from the bed of the river in separate masses and leave channels for the passage of the water. Boats pass down without difficulty and are drawn up by ropes. The Uruguay rises on the declivity of the Brazilian, Andes in the province of Rio Grande, near the parallel of 28° S. lat. and pursues a southwesterly course of more than 1,000 miles. 1 navigable for 200 miles from its mouth, but higher up the navigation is interrupted by rapids and falls, which prevent the ascent of every thing but canoes and flat bottomed boats. The Rio Negro is an eastern branch of the Uruguay, aud joins it 54 miles from its mouth. It is navigable for large vessels 40 miles The Pilcomayo, the largest western branch of the Paraguay, rises in the Andes, near the parallel of 20° N. lat. and after flowing in an easterly direction for 600 miles through the mountainous country, turns to the S. E. and traversing a level country for more than 400 miles, falls into the Paraguay by two mouths 50 miles apart. It is navigable, except in dry seasons, nearly to its source, though the rapids ocasion some interruption. During the rainy season, the banks near its mouth are overflowed to a great distance. ayo. The Vermejo rises in a mountainous district near the sources of the Pilcomayo, and flowing S. E. joins the Paraguay in about 27° S. lat. In length and size it is not greatly inferior to the PilcomIts current is very gentle, and the ascent, by the aid of regular southern breezes, is as easy as its decent. Few rivers are equally navigable. The Salado, which discharges itself at Santa Fe, in lat. 31° 40′ S. after a southeasterly course of 800 miles, is difficult of navigation. The Saladillo, which falls into the Plata about 50 miles from Cape St. Antonio, after a southeasterly course of several hundred miles, may be regarded as a continuation of the Rio Quinto, which during the greater part of the year loses itself in a marshy lake, but in the rainy season, communicates by various channels with the Saladillo. The Rio Dulce rises in the mountains of the interior, and flowing parallel with the Salado for considerable distance,loses itself in the salt lakes N. W. of Santa Fe. In the northern part of the country, the Mamore, and several other head streams of the Madeira, rise on the N. side of the Andes of Chiquitos, and pass into Peru. Lake Lake Titicaca is in the northwest part of the country between two ridges of the Andes. It is about 240 miles in circumference,and is sufficiently deep to be navigated by the largest vessels. It contains several islands, one of which was the residence of Manco Capac, the first of the incas, and the illustrious founder of the Peruvian monarchy. Desert of Atacama.] The desert of Atacama lies on the western side of the Andes, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, between Peru and Chili. From the northern boundary of Chili to Atacama` in Peru is a distance of nearly 300 miles, and in all this distance' the road passes over a dry sandy plain, where the traveller meets no living thing either of the vegetable or animal kingdom. His path is marked only by the bleached bones of mules, which have perished in attempting to force a passage over this terrible waste. In travelling from Peru to Chili, instead of passing this dreary region, it is generally thonght safer to take the road along the ridge of the Andes over giddy precipices and narrow passes. Post riders sometimes cross the desert, but few or no traders ever venture to pass that way; nor, it is presumed, would any military leader be induced lightly to encounter its difficulties. Minerals.] In the mountainous districts along the Andes, almost every town and valley from Mendoza to La Paz, has had, or nOW has some productive mine in its neighborhood. A short time since there were 73 mines in actual operation within this country, viz. 30 of gold, 27 of silver. 2 of tin, 7 of copper and 7 of lead. The richest of these are the celebrated silver mines of Potosi, which were discovered by accident, in 1545 by an Indian named Hualpa, who in climbing up the rocks in pursuit of some mountain goats, laid hold of a small shrub to support himself, when the roots gave way, and opened to his view a mass of pure silver, It was in a mountain of a conical shape, about 18 miles in circumference at the base, and rising to the height of 4360 feet above the plain. From the discovery of the mines till 1803, they have yielded £237,358,334 sterling, or nearly £1,000,000 annually, which has paid the royal duties. Salt. The extensive plains lying between the Paraguay and the mountains, and watered by the Pilcomayo, the Vermejo, the Salado, and the Dulce, abound with salt. All these rivers yield excellent water until they leave the hilly country, after which they become brackish. Numerous salt lakes occur in different parts of this territory. In the pampas to the southwest of Buenos Ayres, there are also lakes which produce salt of a very fine quality. Chief towns.] Buenos Ayres, the capital, is built on the S. W. bank of the Rio de la Plata, 180 miles from its mouth. The river here is 30 miles broad, and is merely an open road. Ship's cannot approach within three leagues of the shore, and are compelled to unload by lighters, and to resort to the bay of Barragan, 23 or 24 miles below, to wait for their cargoes. The navigation of the Plata to Buenos Ayres, is extremely dangerous, owing not only to rocks, sand banks, and shallows, which abound in many parts of the river, but likewise to the impetuous blasts, called Pamperos, which occasionally sweep over it with destructive. fury. The town is regularly laid out, the streets intersecting each other at right angles. In the middle of the town is a large area, 40 rods square, on the sides of which are the castle, the cathedral, and the town hall. All these edifices, together with the churches, convents and hospitals, are built of a beautiful white stone, found in a plain near the town. The population is estimated at 62,000, one half of whom are whites, and the rest, Indians, negroes, mulattoes, and mestizoes. The commerce of the town is very extensive, the port being the outlet for the produce, not only of the whole valley of the Plata, but also of large districts of Peru and Chili. Monte Video stands on the north shore of the Plata, 120 miles E. of Buenos Ayres, and occupies the whole of a peninsular promontory, which projects southward from the main land. The fortifications are on the isthmus to the north of the town, and are |