Part 28

I came down the river this morning in a canoe with Senor Miguel and his son, to his plantation at Ponto-Grosso, a distance of forty miles from Caiacauga. The rain was falling most of the time of our descent, and prevented me from seeing much of the land or crops on either side of the river. The few patches of corn seen did not present a favorable aspect, but having no information as to the period of its planting, I could not judge correctly of it.

We landed at a sandy beach, and breakfasted upon the abundant supplies brought with us; and dined after our arrival, having taken eight hours to make the trip.

The Rio Inquia enters the Ribeira eight miles above here, and adds greatly to the amount of water, so that it bears a striking resemblance to the Mississippi river, in the character of the stream and the general aspects of the adjacent country. It is a magnificent body of water, and, with the exception of a single small steamboat, is only navigated by large canoes, which transport the products along its margin to Ignape, a distance of forty miles below this point.

The lands along the banks of this river are covered for the most part with a most luxuriant growth of the copine grass, which is relished greatly by cattle, horses, and mules; but it is so succulent that it does not seem well for drying so as to make hay, and the land is too valuable to be left open for pasturage, so that very little of it is made available.

The soil of the river bottoms is a dark ash color, of a fine loamy consistence, and of great depth, so that it does not become exhausted by cultivation; and corresponds (so far as my limited knowledge of the lands of the Mississippi enable me to speak) very much in all respects to the Mississippi bottoms.

Upon visiting a field where cotton and corn are planted, the former was found to be growing too luxuriantly, and will be likely to make a large stalk without affording a good yield. The stand was irregular, and had been but partially supplied by replanting and transplanting. This last process is entirely new to me, and though not resorted to in the Southern States, it has a fair prospect for success here in the rainy season. The importance of having the stand of cotton all as nearly of the same age as practicable, and getting it forward during the wet months, will warrant the trouble, if it is found to succeed well. It is demonstrated that the plant takes root and grows, but how it may thrive or yield subsequently is yet to be tested. It has not been tried by any other person who I have met in Brazil, and has been resorted to in compliance with a suggestion of Dom Frederico Leopoldo Cesar Burlamaqui, a writer upon the culture of cotton, whose paper was published in 1863, with a view to induce the planters of Brazil to plant cotton while its culture was suspended in the United States.

The corn is planted in rows, with five rows of cotton intervening, and consequently too far apart for the pollen from the tassels to have its full effect upon the silks. The ears are therefore not well filled with grains, and the general size of the ears do not seem in proportion to the large stalks. The white flint corn is planted here exclusively, and the same seed has been used from time immemorial, so that a change of the grain is perhaps now indicated for the improvement of the crop. Of course the corn ought to be planted separate from the cotton, and the rows being in closer proximity would secure a better result.

There has been a change made in the rice planted here, within the last three years, and the superior quality of the yield over that of other specimens is very evident. A part of the new supply was from Santos, which is regarded an excellent place for rice; and another portion was procured from South Carolina, the rice from that State being considered the best of the world. Senor Miguel tells me the seed of the Carolina rice yields more grains to the head, but not larger or better quality than the other. The rice culture here is not confined to low lands, but is mixed with corn and cotton by some persons in uplands. My friend has at this place a rice-mill in operation, with a dozen mortars and pestles, and cleans ten sacks of rice daily. This is a task assigned to those working in the establishment, and they have to complete it before stopping the mill. It requires it to go quite early, and continues until after night, to accomplish the whole process.

WEDNESDAY, _January 10, 1866_.

We set out this morning before breakfast and visited a field of corn which was approaching the period of tasseling, and presented a vigorous growth, though too much crowded in the drill.

A coffee field was next examined, containing twenty-five thousand (25,000) trees of two years and younger which had been transferred from a nursery. They were evidently retarded in their development by a luxuriant crop of mandioca that surrounded the plants and shut out the sun to a great extent; yet the most of them look in a healthy, thriving condition, and some have blooms or a few berries of coffee. This coffee is planted upon elevated land, and the soil is dark gray with a mulatto base. These conical-shaped elevations are frequently observed here, and stand out in bold relief to the general flat character of the land near the river.

The mandioca presents an appearance very similar to the castor oil plant when fully developed; and the root is the great source of farina which is eaten by whites and blacks throughout Brazil. There are two distinct varieties, one of which is very similar to the sweet potato, being eaten in the same mode; while the other contains a poisonous juice which must be expressed from the root before the solid portion is used for food. This juice is said to be fatal to man or animal if taken in any considerable quantity; and the presence of it to a greater or less extent in some specimens of the farina is doubtless prejudicial to health, and may perhaps be a source of leprosy in some instances elsewhere.

The farina, however, when properly prepared from this poisonous root, is found to be nutritious and healthy; and this variety of the mandioca supplies most of the people with a substitute for bread. The roots are scraped and grated by a machine, when the coarse powder is subjected to compression under a screw to express the juice, after which the solid portion is pounded in a mortar until reduced to a fine powder. This is then dried in shallow pans over a furnace, and undergoes a cooking or parching process that fits it for keeping in sacks or barrels for any length of time. It is generally put on the table in this dry state, and is mixed with almost every thing else that may be eaten, in the same manner that we use bread.

Besides this, there is also a beautifully fine and white powder made from the mandioca by a process similar to that of preparing starch; and it is used for diet under the same circumstances that arrow-root is employed with us.

The mandioca grows well upon this land, and yields without culture, but should be allowed to remain in the ground from eighteen months to two years to attain maturity.

One stalk, which was torn out of the ground this morning for me to examine the roots, had twenty developments resembling sweet potatoes, and the whole would have filled a peck measure, thus affording a most abundant yield. It is propagated by cuttings from the limbs of the growing plants, and these are planted so that the trees cover the entire land densely and uniformly.

After breakfasting, the extensive new ground (roça) was visited. One hundred and sixty (160) acres planted in cotton and twenty acres in corn and rice present quite a promising prospect, though as yet nothing definite can be determined as to the result. The cotton is all young, but the most advanced looks well, notwithstanding there is in some parts a considerable admixture of fern and poke-stalks, calling for the hoe, and the dead trees are lying promiscuously over the ground. There has been an attempt to plant in rows, but they are very irregular; and the stand of cotton is in many places deficient, though it does not seem to be the result of destruction by the ant as in other places.

All the work here is done with the hoe; and the planting is effected by digging a hoeful of dirt, dropping five or six seed, and then covering, at intervals of two feet, more or less.

This land is elevated and the soil dark gray, with an admixture of sand, presenting very favorable conditions for cotton if the culture was properly conducted.

The corn was yet young but flourishing, and is expected to yield without farther work.

The rice is planted in the flats between the more elevated grounds, and evidently will give an excellent yield.

Pine-apples were found growing promiscuously in different parts of this plantation, and I had the opportunity of eating this most delicious fruit to my complete satisfaction; and we started back with our canoe well stocked with large, yellow, sweet-scented cones.

In returning I observed the settlements more than in descending, as it was no longer raining, and there was a large number of dwellings on the margin of the Ribeiro, having in many instances a rice-mill connected with the establishment. These mills are moved usually by small streams of water coming into the river from either side; and a prime object in locating a residence is to be near one of these streams.

At the place where we stopped to eat our cold dinner, called Esterão da Pedro, a pretty article of farina was made from the rice, and Senor Miguel tells me the same is prepared at his house.

This article is used in its simple state or prepared in different forms of bread. It is likewise used as a powder for the skin, and relieves irritation of the surface in this warm climate. The rice is largely used by all those people along the banks of the Ribeiro, and with fish constitutes most of the food of many of the inhabitants. To this mode of living is attributed the swarthy, lean, and haggard look of the population in many places we passed; but there is little doubt of the local influence from the lowlands adjacent to the river having much to do in causing this impoverished and sickly appearance of men, women, and children. All parties concur with Senor Miguel in stating that there are but few cases of disease of any kind in this region; yet there is a want of stamina in the constitutional structure that indicates something unfavorable to health, and I should not like a location so low down on the river, or so immediately upon its margin.

THURSDAY, _January 11, 1866_.

Not being able to make the return trip, we stopped for the night at the house of Senor Bento José de Morais, and spreading our bedding upon the floor, remained until this morning. Taking a cup of coffee, we resumed our ascent of the river at an early hour. The notable rock of the horse (Pedra de Cavallo) soon came into view, and being on the dividing line between Xiririca and Ignape, is a point of some interest.

It stands in the middle of the river and is supposed to bear a resemblance to a horse.

Stopping at a house upon the bank of the river to eat the supplies brought along for our breakfast, a clean place could scarcely be found to spread our table-cloth. Senor Miguel proposed to the occupants to remove some things from a table for our use, and such a nest of cock-roaches as was broken up by the proceeding has rarely been seen in a private dwelling.

As the mahogany-backs were scampering off in all directions, my friend gave me a significant look, and when an opportunity presented, spoke his opinion of the slovenliness and laziness of the people.

We were joined at the place where we spent the night by Senor José Antonio de Silva, who has a small place above Xiririca, and he states that the average crop of coffee from his trees is eight (8) pounds per tree, and that he has gathered from one isolated tree as much as thirty-two (32) pounds in one year. He says the crop in that neighborhood is sure and of good quality.

It rained heavily during the afternoon, but we were thoroughly protected by a covering of raw-hides.

FRIDAY, _January 12, 1866_.

After enjoying a comfortable night in the hospitable mansion of my friend, Senor Miguel, I went this morning with his son to set a gill-net for fish, and thence across the river to gather some grapes. This planting is made from cuttings of vines in the United States, and is now bearing a crop of fine fruit. The vines are arranged upon a large wooden frame, and appear vigorous and healthy, though upon the low land near the river, which is certainly not a very favorable site for the grape culture.

That celestial fruit, the jaboticaba, was also found growing in the same locality, but only a few remained of the abundant crop which the trees are said to have borne this year.

Several other varieties of fruit trees were seen, but it not being the season of maturing, I had no opportunity to test their qualities.

On returning to the gill-net quite a number of small fish were entangled in its meshes, and Senor Guilherme has since visited it again, getting quite a full mess for the entire family. Some of them, called cascudo, are a new order of fish to me, having a hard skin with scales like the pike or gar, and a very large broad fin upon the back, spreading out like a fan.

The sun was shining brightly during our walk, but it subsequently clouded up and rained.

Senor Miguel showed me this afternoon a field in which cotton and sugar-cane had been planted together, the crop of cotton being gathered some months ago, and the cane being now cut so as to permit the cotton to make another crop from the old stalk.[31]

SATURDAY, _January 13, 1866_.

All things being provided for a tour of observation, Senor Miguel, his son Guilherme and myself embarked in a large canoe at 9 o’clock this morning, to ascend the Ribeira. The margin of the river on the way to Xiririca presented many desirable locations which I had not been able to see when coming down in the night. A short stop was made at the village, where a letter was delivered to Senor Bernardo José Cabral, that should have been presented on my first arrival. Other letters were left for parties who were not at home.

On resuming our ascent of the river, a short visit was made to the farm of Senor Francisco Alvares da Silva, where his interesting family received us cordially, and one of his daughters gave us several pieces of music on the piano. He regaled us with excellent grapes of various qualities, the germs of which were imported from the United States. A few stalks of cotton from American seed were growing finely in his yard. But I was most interested in his coffee field, where trees from three years to twenty years growth presented a most exuberant crop of berries, and certainly present as good a prospect for a large yield of coffee as any of the trees seen in the best regions of Campinas, Lemeira and Rio Claro. These trees are growing in a sandy soil, upon a high bank of the river, and there is an excellent crop of corn in the intervening space, with good cane adjoining.

Our progress up the river enabled me to see again the lands on the banks, which had been seen in my first descent, and further observation impressed me even more favorably.

In many places there are hills extending to the margin, but in most parts the land is elevated, with an extended plain, looking as if the soil would be admirably adapted to cultivation. Corn, rice and sugar-cane, with occasional small patches of coffee, were observed in different localities, and this region seems not only well suited to a variety of products, but also is admirably adapted for settlement. It is high, and gives evidence of being healthy in the appearance of the people living upon the margin of the river.

I have seen nowhere better specimens of healthy, vigorous development than was presented by the daughters of the gentleman at whose house we stopped, and the report given is unqualifiedly favorable to the healthiness of the country and the pleasantness of the climate. Though in the rainy season there is frequently wet weather for a few days, yet even during this period there are intervals of clear, bright days.

The sun shone brightly upon us during most of the day, and though there was a mere sprinkle late in the afternoon, it soon passed off and the sky was again free from cloud.

The current, after ascending a short distance from Xiririca, becomes more rapid, and though we had four stout negroes to man our large canoe, it gave them heavy labor in using the poles. Upon making the suggestion that it was severe work, the reply was simply that they were used to it and did not tire.

It was after dark when we reached the mouth of the Inguary, and this being the point of disembarkation, we stopped at a house for the night.

SUNDAY, _January 14, 1866_.

Again, my dependence upon the arrangements of others induced a departure from the proper observance of the Sabbath. The night had been spent very comfortably, with the assistance of bedding brought in the canoe; and, though I slept in an open shed or piazza, I was not annoyed either by the bite or buzzing of mosquitoes; which gives a promise of exemption here from this troublesome tenant of the forests. The temperature at this point, which is twelve miles above Xiririca, is most delightful; and I am reminded of the remark of General Waddy Thompson, in regard to the table lands of Mexico, that a person having a coat would not care to take it off, or if it was removed, he would not care to put it on again. It is that genial state of the atmosphere which renders a person quite satisfied with his situation. With the majestic Ribeira flowing at our feet, and the beautiful island, to which allusion was made in my descent from Iporanga, lying immediately opposite our place of lodging, relieved by a green background of luxuriant corn upon the other side of the water, this pleasant spot held out encouragement for a thorough examination of the adjacent country. The soil near the bank of the river is a dark loamy earth, that gives every indication of fertility. A field of corn and also a patch of sugar-cane were seen growing near our quarters, and presented a very flourishing condition.

The negroes at the place said there had been a small space planted in cotton, but that the weeds and grass had overgrown it, so that it was abandoned. Upon asking why they did not work it better, they seemed to regard it as too troublesome to cultivate, saying “Não da lucro,” (it does not give profit.) So much for their knowledge of the value of cotton. A small specimen of cotton from a neighboring farm was brought for inspection, which looked as if it might have been produced under the same sort of disadvantages which induced the other to be abandoned, and gave a very unfavorable impression of the cotton culture in this part of the country. The land, however, is evidently well suited to the growth of cotton, when it may receive proper attention, and fine crops have been seen both above and below this point.

The animals which had been sent from Caiacauga across the country arrived here this morning, and all the preliminary steps were taken for proceeding into the woods. Two pack-mules were loaded with bedding, cooking-utensils and supplies of various kinds; yet there were sundry articles to be carried by the negroes, and among them a huge tin box having cooked provisions, plates, tumblers, spoons, knives and forks, &c., &c. I was surprised to see that even two wooden forks and a pole were to be carried, for suspending a hammock at night, especially as our expected tour lay through forests, where these things could be got when we stopped.

Seven negro men and one negro woman (as a cook) accompanied us, to subserve the various objects connected with the examination of the lands and the care of the stock.

Before starting, we were joined by Senor Bernardo Antonio de Ramos Moraes, who is the owner of the small house at which we quartered, and resides a mile distant from the river. He has here a large body of land, and another party adjoining him below has a considerable tract lying on the river, both of which will be sold, if it is thought desirable to secure a body of land in this locality, extending to the water.

The stream, known as Ribeirão Inguary, which enters the Ribeira de Ignape at this point, passes through the lands of the above-named party, and at a short distance, perhaps half a mile, from the Ribeira, there is a fall in its channel, that would afford a very good site for any machinery that might be desirable.

After passing through this land, we entered a body of land owned by Senor Miguel, and encountered at the outset quite a hilly region, a part of which has formerly been cultivated, and is now covered with a second growth, (capoeira,) while there is at our place a field of fine corn, which indicates quite a productive soil. This land is of a dark gray aspect, with some large gravel, and would certainly yield cotton advantageously, even where it has been once cultivated with the hoe only and turned out. There is adjoining this territory, and lying in an angle between two of its extensions, a portion of land occupied by a number of small farmers, who live in close proximity to each other, having the ordinary thatched houses of the country. If these can be secured on reasonable terms, the houses might form the nucleus for a settlement, and they are not more than three or four miles from the river, with a very fair road.

After passing this populated valley, we traversed some lands belonging to Senor José Alves de Moraes, which still lay irregularly, and the soil assuming more of a yellow aspect, while the growth of the palmetto was intermixed with the large forest trees to a considerable extent. On this place there was seen a small patch of coffee trees, three years old, heavily laden with berries; and, though the soil was rather sandy, it seemed to be favorable to the growth of the coffee. It is certain that nowhere else have trees of the same age presented a more favorable prospect for a yield of fruit.