Part 18

I accompanied General Wood to-day to call upon the President of the province at 12 o’clock, and the General handed him his report, with the map of the country traversed, as made out by Mr. Street, the engineer, who accompanied him throughout the tour. The General made some remark in regard to my co-operation with him, which being interpreted to the President, he desired to know if I concurred with General Wood in considering these lands desirable for my friends, and whether he would be authorized to state this fact to the Minister of Agriculture. I replied, that of the lands which had been examined I was most pleased with those included in the limits indicated; though it might then have been further stated that I had not seen all that was desirable to enable me to make a proper selection.

At 4½ o’clock P. M. we met the gentleman who called yesterday at General Wood’s room, at the palace of the President, where this official was present, with the following other persons of distinction, viz.: Barão de Itapetininga, Barão de Ignape, Barão de Rio Claro, Dom Luiz Antonio de Sonsa Barros, Dom Silveirio Rodriquez Jordão.

After a short period of silent suspense, General W. W. W. Wood rose, and with Mr. Bennaton as interpreter, proceeded to lay before this dignified and highly respectable assemblage his views in regard to the objects to be attained by the organization of a society to promote emigration to Brazil, and especially to this province. But he concluded with referring any action that might be thought proper to the discretion of those present who might feel interested in the movement. He subsequently requested that Dom Gavião would give his views to the meeting, which he did at some length without rising from his seat; and as Mr. Bennaton stated subsequently, quite favorably to the object in contemplation. General Wood then made a few remarks further, touching the subject under consideration, at the close of which I suggested that we should retire, and leave our Brazilian friends to deliberate freely upon all points they might desire to discuss. It was accordingly so announced, and we took our leave of this select assemblage.

I called early this morning upon Senor Bento Alves, No. 10, Rua do Commuveio, to make arrangements for visiting a fazenda, called Bananal, some sixteen miles from the city. Finding he had but one animal at hand, I had to wait until next day for him to procure one for me, and we expect to go to-morrow morning at 6 o’clock, without any interpreter.

WEDNESDAY, _November 22, 1865_.

The result of the meeting yesterday was the formation of an association to promote emigration, with the following appointment of officers:

For President, Barão de Ignape.

For Vice-President, Commendador Queiroz.

To Draft a Constitution, Commendador Queiroz, Dom Bernardo Gavião, and Dom Pinto, Junr.

Thus we have the initiation of a very important movement for the interest of those who may come from the Southern States to this province; and the only feature that strikes me unfavorably is, that the president is quite an old man, without that energy which a younger person could bring to the work. If it can be brought into that practical and efficient operation which the expressions of favor would warrant, we may confidently rely upon something being effected for the advantage of emigrants from the Southern States.

I rode with Senor Bento Alvez to-day, to visit the Fazenda Bananal; and though he understood nothing of English I managed to use enough Portuguese to make him understand me, and I guessed pretty successfully at what he said to me on the way.

The first five miles of our route was over a most excellent public highway, to the Frequezia Penha, which has cost the province a round sum of money; but there are very few buggies or carriages to enjoy this fine drive. I was especially struck with the great number and variety of crosses, made of wood, that stood upon the roadsides after passing this little village; and my travelling companion never came opposite to one, without raising his hat, as an act of religious veneration. Some of these crosses indicate that a death has occurred near, or serve as a talisman. It is so common to see a cross upon the roadsides, in various portions of this country, that I have endeavored to get some intelligible explanation of their design; but no one seems to have any more satisfactory solution than that these people think that they secure some immunity from all harm by the presence of a cross. They are seen very frequently at the forks of roads, at the point where a family path leads into the main road.

If a murder has occurred at any particular spot, there a cross is certainly erected; and as murders were very ordinary occurrences throughout certain portions of this country in former years, it may be that most of the crosses, remote from dwellings, indicate the site of a murder. These crosses are frequently covered by a small house, and garlands of flowers will sometimes be seen, either fresh or decayed, upon them. There is a basis of superstition connected with all this, which the intelligent Roman Catholics of Brazil ignore and lament; yet the mass of the people, in their ignorance, continue to practice these things with a reverential awe.

In lieu of breakfast we stopped at a wayside inn, and got a cup of coffee, which was enjoyed with my cold lunch of beef and bread given me by the landlady at the Hotel da Europa.

Being now in good riding-trim, and being mounted upon an easy-going horse, I took the lead, so as to hurry up my Brazilian friend. He is of Spanish extraction; and not much more of the go-ahead in his composition than pertains to the character of most of these people, who have grown up under the idea that to-morrow is as good as to-day.

Upon entering the lands of the fazenda we first encountered an extensive level plain, which is called “campo largo.” This was covered with a short grass, that seemed to be relished by the cattle and horses which were grazing upon different parts of it. The cattle seemed in good order, but the horses and a few mules looked shabby and rather thin, as if they did not receive the same benefit as the other stock from the grazing.

The soil was almost black, and with the use of the plough might yield other grasses; or it might prove productive if planted in corn or peas. Yet this experiment has yet to be made, and is certainly attended with much doubt.

This campo largo is separated from the other land, that lies more irregular in its conformation, by a stream of water, such as we would style a creek. On the other side of this the land ascends into a range of mountain elevations, whose sides can only be cultivated with great difficulty by the hoe. Upon these slopes the land is of a dark gray aspect, corresponding more to the appearance of some of the up-country lands in South Carolina than any I have seen here.

The houses composing the site of this fazenda are located at the foot of this range of elevated land, and in a central position as to the territory. There is a good dwelling, of moderate size, having a plank floor, glass windows, and a tile roof. The outhouses are inferior in quality, yet capacious, and meet the needs of the establishment. A monjolo is worked by water, brought in a race from the stream spoken of, and there is an old apparatus formerly used for grinding mandioca, which is now out of order, but might be turned to practical account.

After a plain, substantial dinner, the examination of the lands was resumed, and we visited two sites where families were located, but the positions were not well suited for dwellings. Indeed, there are no good situations for the residence of families anywhere on the place, as the chief location is almost inaccessible from the irregularity of the ground. An abandoned coffee-patch lies near the house.

The quality of most of the land is inferior, and unfavorably located for cultivation with a plough; and I felt satisfied at sight that this place was not adapted for our purposes. Being very tired I declined eating any thing for supper, and retired to my quarters, where I found a very comfortable bed arranged with musqueto-netting. The single bed, corresponding very much in proportion to our hospital bunks, is the most frequent in this country; and it is very rare that a large double bed is found, except for family use where there are children.

There is one view of this fazenda which might be worthy of attention, and though evidently unsuited to the location of a number of families, there is a large extent of territory which is well adapted to grazing, and a cattle range can be extended to public lands lying adjacent. There is a considerable portion of elevated campo land, independent of the level plain described as lowland, which would doubtless suit very well for sheep and goats, as some of it is quite rugged, and has clumps of trees, which would serve as places of retreat in the heat of the day. Any one who would desire to combine stock-raising with a farming business, might do it here advantageously; and from the proximity to the market of São Paulo, there would be a ready disposition of all that could be grown.

THURSDAY, _November 23, 1865_.

A nephew of Senor Bento, who resides upon the Fazenda Bananal, joined me this morning in riding across the mountain, to take a survey of the forest land lying upon the slope and crest of this elevation. I saw a few places in which corn was growing very satisfactorily, and after reaching the top of the ridge, found a portion of the ground whose configuration was more favorable for cultivation, though most of it lay quite irregularly.

There was nothing worthy of further notice save a most beautiful lake, far above the surrounding country, enclosed by hillocks, and having a dense forest lying upon one side. It is fed by a number of small rills, and perhaps also by internal springs, while there is but one outlet, forming a large stream, which has a most picturesque cascade at a short distance from the lake. This placid lake, which is known as “tanque grande,” with the bold stream leading from it into the forest, and then dashing down a rocky gorge, presents the most attractive feature of this fazenda. The lake is said to be very deep, and contains a large number of excellent fish. It might become very profitable as a place for the culture of fish, to supply the market of São Paulo, as the outlet could be so guarded by an iron grating, or a network of sipo, as to prevent the escape of even small fish over the fall, and the fish could be caught with the hook or other modes of capture on a larger scale.

If the gentlemen and ladies of the city should desire recreation, they could find no more pleasant resort than this lago bonneto upon the mountain top, and close the day with a fish-fry in the adjoining grove.

This attractive spot is evidently not appreciated as a specimen of the beauties of natural scenery, and few, perhaps, excepting those rude and unlettered inhabitants of this mountain region, know of its existence. Should a traveller in Switzerland encounter such a rare combination of beauties as is presented here, it would be sketched with the greatest interest, and portrayed in the most enthusiastic terms by the lover of nature. It is a quiet, clear sheet of water, about three hundred yards in length, and about two hundred yards in width, with the outlet as stated, running into a dense forest. The lands around it have been cleared up for cultivation, and run down with a gentle slope on all sides to the margin. The vandal hand which cut away the primeval growth around this lovely spot should be held responsible for constructing a terraced walk around it, and beautifying it with the choicest flowers and evergreens, so as to compensate for the loss it has sustained in removing the grove.

Though I could not praise the soil, I expatiated in all the variety of terms my vocabulary would afford, upon this exquisite water-scene, yet my matter-of-fact companion met my eulogy by the grave and business-like interrogation, whether I was sufficiently pleased with my examination to buy the fazenda, to which I was forced to give a negative reply.

As I returned to the city with Senor Bento, we stopped at the house of his brother, Senor Bonifacio, at the Fraguezia Conceicão, and there enjoyed a bait of jaboticabas from the trees that grew in a field near by. While in the house, a servant was ordered to do something in which café and laranga (meaning coffee and orange) was heard, and supposing these articles were being ordered for us, I excused myself from taking coffee in the best Portuguese available, when lo, it turned out that the words simply referred to securing our horses in the grove near the trees of the above name. Thus it is that an imperfect knowledge of language gets one into difficulties on every hand.

The sun being very hot, I was kindly supplied with an umbrella by a gentleman who joined us in the ride from this place to the city, and though he was thus left unprotected, there was no alternative but to accept it. These people are frequently very self-sacrificing in their courtesies to others, and though it has been said to me that their civilities are only the outward show of politeness, I must say to their credit, that nowhere can there be found more of the reality of accommodation, and hearty readiness in rendering any required aid, than among the people of this province.

Upon reaching São Paulo, I found that our baggage had been sent to the office of the diligence to be forwarded to Santos, and tickets were secured for us to proceed to-morrow morning.

FRIDAY, _November 24, 1865_.

At a late hour last night, one of General Wood’s party, Mr. W. C. Kernan, reached the hotel Europa from Ybicaba, where he had been left sick. He accompanied me this morning to the diligence station, and upon my statement that Mr. Street would arrange for his passage, a seat was procured for him.

I found upon entering the diligence that Dom Pinto, Junr., was a passenger, and he introduced me to Mrs. Burton, the wife of the British Consul at Santos. She requested me to take charge of her on the trip, which was done, and upon arrival a servant was engaged to carry her baggage to the hotel, but my proffer of attendance was declined, as she said that she desired to give her husband a little surprise, and would prefer to go up alone.

She remarked that Captain Burton would be happy to see me at any time, when I replied that it would afford me pleasure to meet him if he should find it convenient to call upon me.

Our passage in the diligence was made in the shortest possible time, over the smooth road, to the top of the serra, but a tedious descent was caused by some derangement of the stop-block attached to the wheel of the diligence, and we had rather a slow boat from Cubitão to the city of Santos, where we arrived at 2 o’clock P. M.

After proceeding a short distance from the landing, I met a young man employed in the store of Mr. W. J. Wright, and accompanied him to the office, where I found the same cordial greeting and tender of hospitality which had met me in passing here previously. His intelligent and dignified lady subsequently received me with much kindness also.

Their two interesting little boys, Billy and Henry, recollected my former visit, and seemed likewise to welcome my return, so that I really felt very much at ease in my social relations to this pleasant family. After dinner we walked out, together with the children, to a cool fountain a short distance from the residence, and there enjoyed a sociable conversation, sitting upon the green sward.

I accepted the invitation of Mr. Wright to accompany him and Mrs. Wright to the theatre at night, to hear the bell-ringers and tumbler melodists. An intelligent young Brazilian gentleman, Dom Augusto T. Coimbra, went with us from the house, but I soon found that there was another attraction in the building for him more potent than the skill of the performers.

After entering the box with Mr. and Mrs. Wright, I bowed to General Wood, who was in the pit with the rest of the party, and upon his rising and bowing to me, he was invited by Mr. Wright to come into the box.

He came, accompanied by Mr. De Vi Valdi, United States consul at this port, who not being in good odor with my friend, Wright, was not presented to me, and after a short time he requested General Wood to introduce him. After the first performance, they returned to the seat with Dom Pinto, Junr., the General and his party being his guests for the evening.

The success of the bell-ringing was complete, and I was particularly impressed with the execution of a piece called Orpheus. But I did not find so much to admire in the musical tones of the friction upon the different glasses, though great skill and art were displayed by the operator.

Though there was here a collection of the best people of the city, there were but few fine-looking young ladies.

SATURDAY, _November 25, 1865_.

We were introduced to Captain Rudolf Julio de Balbi, inspector of the port (Guerdamor) of Santos, who speaks English, and went round the different parts of the custom-house with the party. This is a large building, which was formerly a nunnery, and though rather rude in its structure, answers all the objects of the government at this port, where but a small business is done, and yet with the prospect of doing an extensive trade at a future day. This gentleman took us in his boat to the arsenal landing, where the commander of the port joined us, and some of the party getting into his boat with the United States consul, we all went aboard of the Santa Maria. After paying this mark of respect to General W. W. W. Wood, these gentlemen took leave of us and returned to the shore.

Four hundred soldiers destined for the seat of war were embarked upon the steamer, and yet did not interfere with the cabin passengers. All were well-dressed, and seemed in fine spirits for the most part. A few, who looked rather pensive and lachrymose at parting with friends, were rallied by the others with much glee.

The drummer of the band, who was a mulatto, with spectacles, made a speech, in which there seemed to be a profusion of patriotism, and closing with vivas for the cause, and everybody and every thing associated with this regiment, he drew forth the huzzas of all around him. Music was next in order, and he belabored his huge bass drum with as much energy as he had delivered his speech.

One of the officers afterwards rose, and shouting at the top of his voice gave a series of vivas that were responded to by huzzas from the troops, and the whites, mulattoes and negroes all seemed alike exhilarated.

This doubtless changed the current of feeling with many who had left their homes reluctantly, and especially was it salutary for those who had been dragged forcibly into the service. Military duty appeals to the noblest elements of man’s nature, but when the endearments of family and the comforts of home are contrasted with the love of country and the trials of the campaign, there are many in every country who are disposed to shrink from the call to arms; and the scenes which have been witnessed of men being brought up with chains around their necks, is only an aggravated exhibition of what occurs in most countries engaged in war. Those who won’t do their duty voluntarily must be required to do it under coercion.

When we got upon the sea many of the officers and men became sea-sick, and with the usual want of sympathy on such occasions I observed one poor fellow, who was casting his dinner over the rail, had two or three on each side of him, who were jestingly going through the motions to taunt him for his weakness of stomach. There were women accompanying some of the men, but in what capacity is not known, and in some instances they were sick, with their heads resting against the breasts of the men, while in others the men were sick, with their heads on the laps of the women, who sat flat upon the deck. By the way, this is a very common style of sitting among the common and middle class of women in Brazil, using simply a piece of thin matting to keep them off the dirt floor. Upon entering the humbler class of houses you are likely to see, in a back room, women with only a chemise and petticoat sitting down in this way at work, who get out of view as soon as possible.

SUNDAY, _November 26, 1865_.

Our steamer entered the harbor of Rio de Janeiro about 7 o’clock this morning, and at the police station a boat was secured for us and our baggage, in which we came immediately to the wharf and thence to the Exchange Hotel. The total expense of boating and porterage for four of us was but $2.00; which was less than I had to pay for myself in getting from the steamer to the hotel in New York on my way out. The porterage allowed negroes in Rio by those who understand the terms upon which they can be secured, is very small, not usually exceeding five cents for a trunk or box to be carried several squares. But when these darkies find a man who does not speak the language, and consequently unacquainted with the usages of the place, they make up for their shortcomings on other occasions. When a boat or a porter is wanted, the best plan is to fix your price, and call out for some one who will serve you at the proposed rate, when the competition soon secures the service from some of the number that are present at these places on all occasions.

Our apartments at the Exchange Hotel are very comfortable and even elegant, with all the usual appliances of a well-furnished room. General Wood and Doctor Warne are quartered together, while Mr. Brown and myself are in another apartment. We have a sitting-room, bed-room, and dressing-room, for which the charge is $2.50 per day; while the more tasteful accommodations of the General and Doctor Warne are valued at $4.00 per day. These charges are independent of our fare, which is paid for according to what is ordered at each meal. We are upon the same floor with the eating-saloon and quite convenient.