“I have the honour to reply categorically to your Excellency, that the inequality of force always was a stimulus which greatly animated the Portuguese not to forsake their posts, and to defend themselves to the two extremities, either of repelling the enemy, or burying themselves below the ruins of forts confided to them. In this resolution are all the individuals of this prezidio, who have the distinguished honour of seeing in front of it the exalted person of your Excellency, whom God preserve. “RICARDO FRANCO D’ALMEIDA.” * * * * * The assailants withdrew with some loss, after being nine days ineffectually attempting to carry the fort. This province, which lies between the parallel of 7° where it joins that of Para, and 24° 30′ of south latitude where it borders upon that of Paranna, occupies a territory of nearly eleven hundred miles from north to south, with almost eight hundred at its greatest width, being more extensive than ancient Germany. On its western limits it has the Spanish possessions, from which it is separated by the rivers Guapore, Jauru, and Paraguay, and on the eastern the river Paranna, which divides it from the province of St. Paulo, and the Araguaya, which separates it from that of Goyaz. It comprises nearly four climates, entering twenty leagues into the temperate zone. A country so extensive necessarily admits of a considerable variety in every point of view in which it can be regarded. Nature itself has partitioned it into three grand districts, or comarcas, of which two are divided into six smaller ones, and their limits (also natural) will become, perhaps, on some future day, those appropriated for the formation of the same number of ouvidorias, when the accumulation of its population may render such a measure desirable. The southern district is denominated Camapuania. { Matto Grosso, on the west. The central district comprises { Cuiaba, central. { Bororonia, on the east. { Juruenna, on the west. The northern district comprises { Arinos, central. { Tappiraquia, on the east. _District of_ CAMAPUANIA. The rivers Tocoary, Cochim, Camapuan, and Pardo, the origin of which approximating, the three first flowing westward and the last eastward, separate the district of Camapuania into north and south, the northern limits of which is a chain of mountains, that in the latitude of about 13° extend themselves from east to west, and from whence emanate the Paraguay and its first branches to the southward, and those which form the Tapajos and the Zingu to the northward.