COFFEE TREE
In 1817 the first shipment of coffee was made from Brazil, about 6000 bags; in 1906, 13 million bags were exported, 10 million being the average. The consumption of coffee in recent years has wonderfully increased. Though generally considered less injurious than tea, both should be utterly tabooed to children and young people. To persons of mature years who have not taken it earlier to their injury, its moderate use may not be harmful, in some cases may even be beneficial. In humid climates it seems to be used freely with less ill effects than in a dry and bracing air, where habitual stimulant of any sort may be undesirable.
Although famed for its coffee, São Paulo can produce almost anything else: rice, sugar, cotton, tobacco, tea, cocoa, wheat, corn, sweet potatoes, other vegetables, and fodder plants are among its products. Of these, the marmallade de cavallo, is called the most nutritious of fodder plants known.
From São Paulo to Rio the journey may be made by land or sea. If going by rail, one may be advised to take the night train, on the ground that there is nothing to see, that it will be dusty, and that the ride of 12 hours is a long and fatiguing day’s journey; the distance is about 310 miles. Also a day is thus gained to spend either at São Paulo or Rio. On the other hand, some persons who have made the trip by daylight speak of it with enthusiasm. In the early morning one passes on gentle slopes fields of glossy green coffee trees, groves of oranges, jungles of palms and bananas, with enormous clumps of feathery bamboo, and little towns on the hillsides. At the stations are women selling fruit, and negro boys with trays of tiny cups of black coffee, hot and sweetened. After a while an alluring stream is passed, with pleasant towns. Midday is hot and dusty. Farther on are reddish grassy slopes and in climbing the wooded ridge many cattle may be visible. Higher ascends the train, the valleys are blue below: delightful scenes are on every hand, mountains abrupt and fantastic appear. Yet ever there is soft rich verdure; at last comes swift descent towards a panorama of wonderful loveliness. At dusk the train rolls into Rio, where, says the Involuntary Chaperone, “All the dreams come true.”
CHAPTER XXIX
RIO DE JANEIRO—BAY AND CITY
Nearly all tourists, whether from the north or south, will arrive at Rio by water. Leaving Santos in the late afternoon, on a fairly swift steamer, one is liable, unless an early riser, to find the ship at anchor in the harbor when he comes on deck in the morning. But if never at other times eager to see the sun rise, or impatient to behold beauties which are permanent in character, let every one who has the smallest appreciation of glorious scenery be awake to enjoy the entrance into the harbor of Rio, which to many will be the culminating joy of the whole delightful journey. With the good fortune to approach at daybreak under propitious skies this magnificent harbor, unrivaled upon the globe, one will rejoice in a vision of splendor surpassing his highest conceptions of beauty, forever to be treasured among his choicest memories. One who is loath to lose his early morning nap may fancy that to view the spectacle towards sunset as one sails away homeward will answer just as well; but such is not the case. It is the morning light on the triple range of hills behind the city, which lies west of the entrance to the bay, that enhances the ever charming scene to a spectacle of unparalleled loveliness.
From a distance, if heaven send no veil of mist, will be seen on the landward side a row of incomparable titans guarding the city; islands also appear: on the right, a large flat rock, Ilha Raza, bears a lighthouse with double electric lights, red and blue, and if one is coming from the north, the Itaypu Point is rounded with the pretty little Father and Mother Islands near; approaching from Santos these appear farther away at the right. The lofty hills or mountains at the left attract the most attention. In the distant blue or purple, a gray bald head called Gavea is noticeable, a famous landmark of the harbor, in the profile of which some fancy a resemblance to Washington. While still outside the harbor we see other summits, the less known and less sharp peak of Andarahy, more distant, Tijuca and the Organ Mts., and nearer, at the right of Gavea, the world famed Corcovado Needle, with the city at its foot, or perhaps we should say head, since the point of the needle, the smaller end, is quite obviously above. Whatever else in Rio be neglected, the Corcovado must be known and visited. Other cities have boulevards, if less beautiful, fine buildings and parks; but there is one Corcovado in all the world. Still approaching the narrow harbor entrance we have glimpses of the city close to the portal, and notice that its suburbs even stretch to the ocean and along splendid beaches quite to the foot of Gavea; while on the opposite shore also are many dwellings. Long before, we have admired the celebrated Pão do Assucar (loaf of sugar), a striking and enormous conical rock over 1300 feet high, standing forth boldly into the channel entrance, which it guards upon the left, while opposite on the right a rough rock promontory, together with the Assucar, forms a splendid gateway.
Not merely rock protection has Rio but in these days of jealous strife she must needs possess grim fortresses also; on the right Imbuhy and Santa Cruz, on the left São João and Mallet. The multitude of peaks and heights around the city a Brazilian writer speaks of as “a lively guard produced by the contortions of a cataclysm.” To him everything seems dancing. In truth when the heavenly tints of sunrise are added to the wondrous shapes and hues of ordinary day, the picture has an unearthly beauty which no tongue or pen can describe.