Petropolis
Hotels. Europa, Rio de Janeiro (German), Pensão Central, expensive. Braganza Hotel, Meyer’s Pension, moderate.
An excursion to Petropolis (return ticket 4$) should not be omitted, a city of 25,000, the residence of the diplomats, formerly the summer home of the Emperor. Once it was necessary to cross the bay to Mauá to take the train; the road from this point to the foot of the mountains, opened in 1856, is the oldest in Brazil. While the steamboat ride was agreeable, it is more convenient to take the train at the Leopoldina Railway Station in the city, rather far out, indeed; and at least three-quarters of an hour should be allowed to reach it. Almost, in spite of a sharp run, I lost my train, which my companion did quite. After some miles over the plain, the rack and pinion system is employed for the climb, almost to the city; when ordinary motors are again used. The ascent is delightful, with an ever charming outlook, better perhaps on the right, but there should be observation cars in order to look both ways at once. The sea is occasionally visible, oftener only the luxuriant vegetation, trailing vines, feathery ferns, brilliant blossoms, great trees, splendid rocks, and mountain streams. An occasional factory is rather a surprise, but with all this water power, why not? This Serra da Estrella is a part of the Organ Mts. and of the Serra do Mar or Coast Range of Brazil. Among the hills around, orchid hunters find many treasures. Petropolis, in the social season from December to May, is a resort of wealth and fashion, a scene of gayety, the many beautiful homes filled with guests. Founded in 1845 as an agricultural colony by 2000 Germans, it became the headquarters of the Diplomatic Corps on account of the yellow fever epidemics at Rio. The residence of twenty foreign diplomats has made the place important for its size. Now that the sanitary conditions of Rio are of the very best it is possible that the diplomats may resume residence in the capital below. A pretty and unusual feature of Petropolis is the stream flowing in several of the principal streets, crossed by graceful bridges of wood or of iron, with stone embankments partially vine-clad, and beautiful overhanging trees. There are delightful drives, both in the town and in the mountainous region about. The wide streets of the town, often fringed with magnolias, are bordered by many handsome residences amid lawns and gardens with rich tropical verdure. A bronze monument to Pedro II was dedicated February, 1911. The American Embassy is housed in a fine old mansion on beautiful grounds. The former summer residence of Dom Pedro II, property of the Countess d’Eu, is now a College of St. Vincent de Paul. The city has unusual educational advantages and many commercial enterprises. There is much social gayety in the season, but during the months of the rainy weather the fashionables depart. The City Hall is noted as the best in the state.
Another city on the mountains, of slightly greater elevation, is Nova Friburgo, three hours from Nictheroy. With an elevation of about 3000 feet it enjoys a perfect climate. The oldest immigrant colony in Brazil, it was founded by 1700 Swiss in 1819. This also is a famous summer resort and is the center of a productive coffee district.
Another interesting mountain city is Therezopolis, also 3000 feet above the sea, commanding delightful views of the ravines and cascades of the Organ Mts. and of the beautiful bay far below.
An excursion to Nictheroy, the capital of the State of Rio de Janeiro, should not be omitted. It is easily made from the Caes Pharoux, by ferry every half hour. With a population of 35,000, it is a nice quiet town, with well paved streets and pretty squares. From the ferry landing electric cars may be taken to the charming beaches of Icarahy and Sacco do São Francisco, the latter with a beach rivaling Trouville; the ride around by one of the promontories is thoroughly delightful. The return may be made through the town of Nictheroy, which has some handsome public buildings.
Equally if not more desirable is a sail into the inner harbor. From Caes Pharoux boats go four times daily to the Island Paquetá, also to the Governador; (fare to either 500 reis each way). The former island is especially picturesque, with charming embowered chalets. On Sunday afternoons, a three hours’ sail may be taken; fare 1$500.
UNITED STATES EMBASSY, PETROPOLIS
STREET WITH RIVER
CHAPTER XXXII
NORTHERN BRAZIL—HOMEWARD
The large majority of tourists will embark at Rio on one of the fine large steamers of the Lamport and Holt Line for New York. Return may also be made by way of England on a Royal Mail boat. A few may desire a more extended acquaintance with Brazil. Some facts are therefore presented in regard to other States of this immense Republic and the facilities for visiting them.
Minas Geraes. One inclined to journey into the interior, to the rich gold and diamond region in the State of Minas Geraes, may go by the Central Railway 400 miles north to the capital of Minas, Bello Horizonte, a made-to-order city, not twenty years of age, but with a population of 30,000, already a fine town for its size. While this State has no seaboard, no rubber, and no city of 50,000 inhabitants, it has a larger population than any other State of Brazil and than most of the countries of South America. This is due to its good climate and excellent waters, as well as to its rich resources. The author Diaz says: “In this State what doesn’t hide gold contains iron; what does not contain coal spreads diamonds.” Here for a century 80,000 men toiled to supply gold to the kings of Portugal. Discovered in 1699, the output of the gold mines at the middle of the eighteenth century was at its height. Five thousand pounds weight is said to have been panned in one year in the area of one square mile; in another place 100 pounds in one night; 360,000 pounds weight were registered in Rio in 1792. The entire output has been about one billion dollars. In the nineteenth century less was produced on account of a heavy tax, new methods, and uncertainty as to property rights and mining laws. At present there is a revival and a good outlook. The oldest producing gold mine in the world is said to be the Morro Velho, between Ouro Preto and Bello Horizonte, yielding one ounce to the ton and 80,000 ounces a year.
The diamond mines of Jequitinhonha Valley, famous for two centuries, were discovered in 1729. The Regent diamond, weighing nearly an ounce, found by three convicts in 1791, secured their pardon. The Estrella do Sul, now belonging to the Rajah of Baroda, picked up by a slave who gave it for his freedom, was the highest ransom ever paid for liberty. Weighing uncut 250 carats, about half that when cut, it is worth $15,000,000. The center of the industry is the town Diamantina (population 10,000), 600 miles from Rio. Black diamonds are found, also amethysts, tourmaline, topaz, aquamarines, garnets, chrysolites, etc., in many places.
Ouro Preto, the center of the manganese industry, yields annually 250,000 tons of 55 per cent ore. Iron, found in every part of Minas, for lack of fuel, is not exploited. Platinum has been found and there is a great variety of granite and marble, agates, onyx, and rock crystal, mica, graphite, cinnabar, and asbestos. Ouro Preto, the former capital, has a mining school, organized in 1903, said to be one of the best in the world, with instruction free; the museum contains a rare collection. The State is thought to have a future rivaling that of Australia and Kimberley.
The old capital, of which Diaz says: “In six squares everything is in the horizontal plan, but the 52 streets and lanes go through tortuous and accidented places as if they were acrobats,” was at length deemed unsuitable; the State was investigated for a new one; the site of a hamlet in a beautiful valley was chosen, and a branch line was built 10 miles from the Central Railway. In 1894 private houses began to be erected. Bello Horizonte has fine wide streets, with arborization said to be the most artistic of any South American city. It has water supply, sewerage, illumination, and electric tramways, of the best type, a Government Palace which cost half a million, the finest of the State buildings of Brazil, the Department of the Interior, of Finance, and of Agriculture, each with handsome buildings, also the City Hospital. A small river with pretty cascades running through the valley forms the vertebra of a beautiful park, which with great trees, shrubs, and vines, a broad driveway, and picturesque paths rivals in extent and natural beauty all others in Brazil.
An Agricultural School with a model farm is an important educational feature on account of the great fertility of the region. Sugar cane, corn, rice, bananas, tobacco, fruits, cotton, cereals, and many other things are here cultivated, with coffee as the chief product, the State being second to São Paulo in its culture. A concession was made to a North American Company for growing hemp and other fibres, one million trees to be planted within four years. Viticulture and the silk worm industry are suitable to the region. Vast pasture lands support great herds of cattle, nearly 300,000,000 head being exported in a single year. The dairy produce of butter, cheese, and milk, is very important, and eggs also. It is thus evident that Brazil possesses other industries beside rubber and coffee, and regions with agreeable climate. The San Francisco River flowing north through this section, while navigable at intervals, has a series of cascades, among the most picturesque in the world. Also there are famous mineral springs at Caxambu, altitude 3000 ft., with waters resembling those of Baden and Spa, with chalets, hotels, and sanatoria, in summer crowded with guests; and other springs in various other resorts.
The next Coast State to Rio is Espirito Santo, though small, the third coffee producer, raising also sugar cane, rice, and splendid tropical woods; a good climate up on the plateau. The capital and seaport, Victoria (20,000 pop.), has an excellent harbor, now being improved with docks, warehouses, etc., soon to be a port of call for large steamers. The next State, Bahia, will be mentioned later in the chapter.
Following Bahia is Sergipe, smallest of the States (a little larger than Maryland), 15,000 square miles, but the most thickly settled. Another small State is Alagoas; then comes the large and important Pernambuco, its capital so called, but more properly Recife; with its population of 150,000, the fourth city of Brazil, it is of great commercial importance. The name Recife arises from a substantial reef off shore forming a fine natural breakwater, to which the Dutch made some artificial addition, also erecting at its extremity a strong lighthouse tower, the light visible for 20 miles. The city, built on marshy ground, by quays and filling in redeemed from the sea, from its canals and peninsulas, is called the Brazilian Venice. Founded in 1536 by Duarte Coelho, it was in the seventeenth century occupied many years by the Dutch, who were finally expelled in 1654 by the patriotic Portuguese. From the pretty bridges are many lovely panoramas. Several fine markets, two theaters, a handsome Congress Hall, and the Governor’s Palace on the foundations of that of the Prince of Nassau facing the Praça de Republica are noteworthy. Two handsome churches are those of Nossa Senhora da Penha of the Corinthian order of architecture and the Boa Vista. The chief exports are cotton and sugar; the imports exceed those of any Brazilian city except Rio.
The next State on the north is Parahyba, reputed to have vast mineral wealth of coal, iron, gold, precious stones, etc., as yet lying tranquil in the soil. Then comes Rio Grande do Norte, whose enormous saline deposits along the shore partly compensate for its barren stretches of land and frequent droughts. The following state, Ceará, is closely connected with the rubber industry, for the reason that on account of the barren sands along the coast, and the inland droughts the male portion of the inhabitants is in large numbers driven to the rubber districts of Amazonas. Seasons not visited by drought are characterized by immense crops and bountiful dairy products. Fortaleza, the capital, with over 50,000 inhabitants, among other nice buildings possesses a great public market of cast-iron. Waterworks, planned on a large scale to alleviate the effects of the droughts, will be highly beneficial.
The adjoining state of Piauí, with similar low and melancholy shores, also suffers from lack of rain. A town is spoken of as “having taken the name of a river that was so poor it ought not to have one to give away.” Maranhão, the last state before reaching Pará and the Amazon, with a large population of negroes, like Bahia, and of Indians in their primitive condition, has as its capital San Luiz, a city founded by the French, and, like Bahia, noted for its literary taste and culture. An indication of this is that the squares, in other cities named after military events and heroes, are here called after poets and other writers.