or the country of the American AMAZONS, is situated between 50 and 70 degrees of west longitude; and between the equator and 15 degrees of south latitude; being bounded on the south by La Plata, on the west by Peru, on the north by the province of Terra Firme, and on the east by Brazil.
With respect to the Amazons said to have given name to this territory, they have been represented as governed and led to war only by their queen. No men were suffered to live among them; though those of some neighbouring nations were suffered to visit them, at a certain season, for the sake of procreation. The females issuing from this commerce were bred up with care, and instructed in what relates to war and government; as to the males, they were sent away into the country of their fathers. But no such nation is at present to be found, any more than the giants and cannibals mentioned by the first adventurers thither.
Amazonia is generally a flat region, abounding in woods, lakes, rivers, bogs, and marshes. The chief river, and one of the largest in the world, is that called the river of Amazons, or the Orellana, which is formed by two large rivers, the one rising in the province of Quito, a little south of the equator, in 73 degrees of west longitude, and the other, named Napo, rising in the lake of Bourbon, near the Andes, in 10 degrees of south latitude. These two rivers uniting on the confines of Peru and Amazonia, in three degrees odd minutes of south latitude, assume the name of Amazon; whence running eastward upwards of 2000 miles, and afterwards inclining to the north, they fall into the Atlantic ocean by 84 channels, which in the rainy season overflow the adjacent country. Besides the two streams mentioned, a multitude of others, both on the north and south side, contribute to the formation of this extraordinary river. As it runs almost across the broadest part of South America, it is computed to be between 4000 and 5000 miles in length, including all its windings. Its channel from Junta de los Reyes, about 60 degrees from its head, to the river Maranon, is from one to two leagues broad; it then widens from three to four, and becomes gradually broader as it approaches the ocean. Between the places last mentioned, its depth is from five to ten fathoms; but from Maranon to Rio Negro it increases to 20 fathoms; after which it is sometimes 30, and sometimes 50 fathoms, or more, till it comes near the end of its course. It has no land banks, nor does the shore decline so as to render it dangerous for vessels. The manatú and tortoise abound both upon the banks of this and the other rivers; and the fishermen must be upon their guard against the crocodiles, alligators, and water serpents, which also swarm here.
The air, as in the countries under the same parallel, is observed to be nearly as cool under the equator as about the tropics, on account of the rains continuing longer, and the sky in that season being clouded. Besides, an easterly wind sets from the Atlantic up the river so strong, that vessels are carried by it against the stream.
The produce of the country is Indian corn and the callava root, of which they make flour and bread; tobacco, cotton, sugar, farispilla, yams, potatoes, and other roots. They have also plenty of venison, fish, and fowl. Among the latter are vast flocks of parrots of all colours, the flesh of which serves for food and the feathers for ornament. All the trees here are evergreens; and fruits, flowers, and herbage, are in perfection all the year round. The principal fruits are cocoa nuts, ananas or pine apples, guavas, bananas, and such others as are usually found between the tropics. The forest and timber trees are cedar, Brazil wood, oak, ebony, logwood, ironwood, so called from its weight and hardness, and several sorts of dyeing wood.
The natives are of the common stature, with good features, a copper complexion, black eyes and hair. It is computed that there are of them about 150 different tribes or nations, and the villages are so numerous as to be within call of one another. Among those the Homagues, a people near the head of the river, are famous for their cotton manufactures; the Jurines, who live between five and ten degrees of latitude, for their joiners work; and the Wrofflaires for their earthen ware. The Topinambes, who inhabit a large island in the river, are remarkable for their strength. Some of those nations frequently make war upon each other. Their armour consists of darts, javelins, bows and arrows; and they wear targets of cane or fish skin. They make flutes of their prisoners, whom they otherwise use very well. Every tribe is governed by its respective chief or king, the marks of whose dignity are a crown of parrots feathers, a chain of lions teeth or claws hung round his neck, or girt about his waist, and a wooden sword which he carries in his hand.
Most of those nations, except the Homagues, go naked. The women thrust pieces of cane through their ears and under lips, as well as through the skin of the pudenda. At the gristle of their noses they also hang glass beads, which wag to and fro when they speak. They are such skilful marksmen, that they will shoot fish as they swim; and what they catch they eat without either bread or salt. They worship images, which they always carry with them on their expeditions; but they neither have temples nor any order of priests; and permit both polygamy and concubinage.
The country affords neither gold nor silver mines; only a small quantity of the former is found in the rivulets which fall into the Amazon near its sources in Peru. When the Spaniards imagined that it contained those metals, they made great efforts from Peru to reduce this territory to subjection; till being at length undeceived, they abandoned the design.