The lake of Patos, which took its name from a nation of Indians now unknown, is the largest in the Brazil, being one hundred and fifty miles in length from north-east to south-west, parallel with the coast, and thirty-five at its greatest width, with sufficient depth for vessels of a middling size; it has, however, some very dangerous shoals. The water is salt in the southern part, with the banks generally flat. It is the recipient of almost all the currents which water the northern and eastern portion of the province, and whose principal embouchures are the Jacuhy on the north, and the river de St. Gonçalo on the south. The lake Mirim, which signifies “small,” compared with the other, is ninety miles in length, and twenty-five at its greatest width; this also extends along the coast, and discharges into the lake Patos, by a channel, fifty miles long, wide, handsome, and navigable, and constituting the aforesaid river de St. Gonçalo. The river Saboyaty, after having collected many others, flows, in a considerable stream, into the southern extremity of the lake Mirim, and is navigable for many leagues. The small river Chuy disembogues almost in the middle of the same lake; and, further to the north, the river Jaguaron, which has its source near the lake Formoza, (beautiful.) It has a course of about eighty miles, and eighteen of navigation. The river Piratirim which has its origin also near the lake Formoza, empties itself about the middle of the St. Gonçalo, after a course of thirty leagues, affording ten miles of navigation. The river Pellotas, rising in the serra of the Tappes, enters the St. Gonçalo near its mouth, and admits of small vessels for five leagues. Passing the embouchure of the St. Gonçalo, the first river met with on the lake Patos is the Contagem, which is about fourteen leagues in extent. The second is the Correntes. The third is the Canguçu, navigable for some leagues. The fourth runs under the name of St. Lourenço. The fifth denominated Boqueirao, and the least of all, originates, like the others, in the Serra dos Tappes. Above the Boqueirao, in the middle of the lake of Patos, the Camapuan empties itself by five mouths, formed by four islands, the largest of which is half a league in circumference. It flows from the Great Cochilha by a rapid course of nearly one hundred miles, amongst rocks and stones, admitting navigation only for a distance of four leagues, and higher up presenting continued cataracts. By its southern margin fourteen currents are admitted, some of them ten leagues in extent; and fifteen by its northern bank, none exceeding five leagues. The southern ones, commencing from the mouth of the river, are the Pereira, rising in the Serra dos Tappes; the Cardozo; the Evaristo; the Meirelles; the Sapata, which flows from the same serra; the small river Pedras, (Stones,) rising near the situation called Igatimi; the Almeida; the Arroio Grande; the Velhaco, originating in the Grand Cochilha, near the Serro