The population of Brazil has been a subject of much and mere conjecture. It has been estimated from three to four millions, and may probably, if all castes are in cluded, exceed even the latter amount. If the position of the comarcas is carefully examined on a map, it will be seen how very detached are the settlements. Brazil, separated from Portugal, has become a nation of Ameo rica, with an unequalled extent of dominion, and must, under an even tolerable administration, advance to great power and prosperity.
The United Provinces of Rio de Is Plata follow the empire of Brazil in relative position. We may remark as a curious coincidence, that in North America, the United States sweep over the great basin of the Missis sippi; and in South America, the republic of Colombia embraces the Orinoco, Brazil the greater part of the basin of the Amazon, whilst the United Provinces of the Rio tie la Plata are, with but partial exceptions, commensurate with the basin of the great river from which their title is derived. Thus in America, those wide natural basins, with streams flowing to single points, have already influenced the artificial outlines of new nations, and will contribute physically to unite communities morally and politically connected.
Similar to other parts of the Spanish dominions in America, the administration of the parent state gave rise to murmurs long previous to actual revolt. These murmurs rose to a storm in 1810 at Buenos Ayres, and the Platanc provinces ceased to be Spanish. The revo lution in that country is in fact not yet terminated, but the aspect of the provinces is sufficiently fixed to admit a geographical view; which we are enabled to take with some clearness, from the Historical, Political, and Sta tistical Account already noticed.
Before, however, entering on the detailed provincial survey, we may pause to examine the great confluents of the Rio de la Plata. The basin of the Plate extends from the sources of Paraguay, S. lat. 13°, to Cape St. Antonio, S. lat. 36° 40', and what is peculiarly remark able, its greatest breadth about S. lat. 22°, equal to 26 degrees of longitude, reaches from less than one hundred miles from the Pacific Ocean, to a still nearer approach to the waters of the Atlantic. The Pilcomayo on the west, and the Parana on the cast, flow respectively towards the central parts of the continent. It is gene rally known that the Andes range nearly parallel to, and at no great distance from the Pacific, but it is by no means equally well known, that the corresponding At lantic slope from S. lat. 20° to the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, is still more restricted in breadth. The latter,
immediately under the southern tropic, in the vicinity of St. Paul's, is not thirty miles wide, from the shore of the Atlantic to tile sources of the Tiete; and again, at S. lat. 28°, the higher branches of the Uruguay flow within 50 miles of the Atlantic waters.
The name of Rio de la Plata is only given to the bay below the junction of the Parana and Uruguay. By a misnomer, similar to what has occurred in North Ame rica with the Mississippi and Missouri, the Parana has superseded the main stream of the Paraguay. The lat ter rises at S. lat. 13°, interlocking sources with the Tapajos and Xingu. Augmenteed by numerous con fluents, this river flows almost directly south to S. tat. 21° 20', at the city of Assumption, where it receives from the north-west a very large brand), the Pilcomayo, and also from the same side, 100 miles lower, another of great magnitude, the Rio Grande, and again 50 miles still lower, loses its name by receiving the Parana. The latter takes its source in the long range of mountains situated to the north-west of Rio Janeiro, in S. lat. 21°. It is increased by uniting with the Parancuba, the Tiessc, the Paranapane, and the Curitaba. Winding to the north-west, to S. lat. 19° it receives from the north the Paranaiba, and turns to S. S. W., and continues that direction to S. lat. 27° 30', into the Missioncs de las Guaranies. From this place, it begins to display its peculiar character: forming an archipelago, of an infinite number of islands, and turning west, joins the Paraguay at the city of Las Siete Corrientes. Here the Parana and Paraguay have conjointly drained at least 800,000 square miles, and the united waters under the former name, but continuing the general course of the latter, assume the grand and majestic appearance which it re tains, and descending, like a fresh water sea, with a mean course south, but curving to the west, to S. lat. 34° 20', where it receives from the N. N. E. the Uruguay, and opening into a wide estuary loses its name in that of Rio de la Plata. Without regarding partial bends, the Parana flows from Corrientes to its mouth 560 miles, receiving from the west numerous minor confluents. The Parana admits the entrance of vessels of 15 feet draught, and is navigable for those of 300 tons burthen above the city of Assumption. The various confluents are navigable to near their sources, rendering the basin of the Rio de la Plata, like that of the Mississippi, a vast expanse capable of indefinite intercommunication by water.