The principal head of the Tucantines is the river Urubu, which originates in the southern skirt of the serra Doirada, a short distance southward from the capital, and after seventy miles of course towards the north-east, loses the name, confounding itself with the river Almas, which is not inferior to it; and from its origin, near the base of the Montes Pyreneos, flows north-west, about an equal number of miles. After ninety miles of further extent to the north-east, it loses also the name, uniting itself with the Maranham, which is little inferior to it in volume and in length of course. The principal head of the Maranham is the lake Formosa, which is fifteen miles in extent, and two in width. It flows to the north-west, and three miles previous to uniting with the Almas, at the passage to the arraial of Aguaquentes, is one hundred and sixty fathoms in width; a little above, it runs through a bed of rock so contracted that its width is only fifty feet. At this confluence, where it becomes very considerable, it flows northward, describing gentle windings, and augmenting by the many streams which unite themselves with it, especially by the eastern side. A little below the confluence of the Almas with the Maranham, when the latter traverses a range of small hills, is the cataract of Facao, which prevents the progress of canoes in either direction. One hundred and forty miles below the said confluence the large river Paranatinga falls into it on the right margin, which takes this name nearly thirty miles above its embouchure, at the junction of the Parannan and the Palma, the latter flowing westward, and the other, which is much larger, north-west from its origin in the General Serra; traversing an unwholesome country, abounding with pasturage, where a prodigious number of cattle and mules are bred. At the confluence of the Paranatinga, which is said to be in 12° 20′ latitude, the Maranham takes the name of Tucantines, which it preserves until its large volume of water is mingled with the ocean below the city of Para. Nearly seventy miles north of the last confluence the large river Cannabrava discharges itself into the Tucantines by the left margin, and a little lower by the right the considerable river Manuel Alvez, which issues from the Duro Serra, a portion of the cordillera which bounds the province, bringing the waters of many small streams that unite themselves with it on both sides in the space of one hundred and fifty miles, the extent of its course.