far as
known, there are no lakes of noteworthy size in the interior of the
country. There are a few small lakes in Maranhao and Piauhy, some in
Goyaz in the great valley of the Araguaya, and a considerable number
in Matto Grosso, especially in the Paraguay basin, where the sluggish
current of that river is unable to carry away the rainfall in the
rainy season.

Coast.

The coast of Brazil is indented with a number of almost landlocked
bays, forming spacious and accessible harbours. The larger and more
important of these are Todos os Santos, on which is located the city
of Sao Salvador or Bahia, and Rio de Janeiro or Guanabara, beside
which stands the capital of the republic. These two are freely
accessible to the largest ships afloat. The bays of Espirito Santo,
Paranagua and Sao Francisco have similar characteristics, but they are
smaller and more difficult of access. The first is the harbour for the
city of Victoria, and the other two for ports of the same name in
southern Brazil. The port of Pernambuco, or Recife, is formed by a
stone reef lying across the entrance to a shallow bay at the mouth of
two small rivers, Beberibe and Capibaribe, and is accessible to
steamers of medium draught. Santa Catharina and Maranhao have
well-sheltered harbours formed by an island lying in the mouth of a
large bay, but the latter is shallow and difficult of access. Para,
Parnahyba, Parahyba, Santos and Rio Grande do Sul are river ports
situated near the sea on rivers having the same name; but, with the
exception of Para and Santos, they are difficult of access and are of
secondary importance. There are still other bays along the coast which
are well adapted for commercial purposes but are used only in the
coasting trade. Many of the Atlantic coast rivers would afford
excellent port facilities if obstructions were removed from their
mouths.

_Geology._--Brazil is a region which has been free from violent
disturbances since an early geological period. It has, indeed, been
subject to oscillations, but the movements have been regional in
character and have not been accompanied by the formation of any
mountain chain or any belt of intense folding. From the Devonian
onwards the beds lie flat or dip at low angles. They are faulted but
not sharply folded. The mountain ranges of the east of Brazil, from
Cape St Roque to the mouth of the river Plate, are compos