The President of Goyaz and his Family.
Giant cactus in the background.
No sooner had I recovered from the strangeness and marvellous beauty of Nature's work around me, than I felt a great shock at seeing what men had done in that region. We were at this point on the high road between São Paulo, Uberaba and Goyaz capital. As my animals stumbled down the steep escarpment traces could be seen of what must have been formerly a beautiful paved road, well-drained on both sides with channels, and held up in terraces by stone works where the gradient was steepest. Here and there bits still remained, demonstrating how well the road had been made. But, uncared for and abandoned, most of it had been washed away by the heavy rains, which had turned that road into a foaming torrent in wet weather. Near habitations, the well-cut slabs with which the road was paved had come convenient to the natives for building purposes. During the time of the Emperor Pedro II., I was told, that was a magnificent road, kept in excellent repair.
Goyaz city lay before us down, down below, in the hollow of the huge depression. Its single row of low whitewashed houses of humble architectural pretensions became less and less impressive and less picturesque as one got nearer. I had by that time grown quite accustomed to this optical disillusion, for it was frequently the case with the work of man in Brazil. It always needed distance—the greater distance the better—to lend enchantment to it.
With a feeling of intense oppression—perhaps due to the stifling air and the lower elevation (1,950 ft.) at which Goyaz city lay—we entered the capital of Goyaz. At the sound of our mules upon the pavement, timid men, timid women and children cautiously peeped from each window through the half-closed Venetian blinds. We only had to turn round to peep at them, and with terrified squeals the hidden creatures banged and bolted the windows. The sight of a stranger in Goyaz was apparently an event. Whether we were expected or not, I do not know, but the whole population seemed to be hiding behind the tiny windows to look at us. The few who were caught in the street seemed as if they wanted to bow but had not the courage to do it. Indeed, their timidity was intensely amusing. Some, more courageous, gave a ghastly grin, displaying rows of irregular teeth in a terrible condition of decay.
DISTANCES BETWEEN ARAGUARY AND GOYAZ
| Araguary to Paranahyba | 59 | kil. | 400 | m. | = 9 | leagues. |
| Paranahyba to Corumbahyba | 59 | " | 400 | " | 9 | " |
| Corumbahyba to Caldas | 59 | " | 400 | " | 9 | " |
| Caldas to Pouso Alto | 79 | " | 200 | " | 12 | " |
| Pouso Alto to S. Antonio | 59 | " | 400 | " | 9 | " |
| S. Antonio to Campinas | 46 | " | 200 | " | 7 | " |
| Campinas to Goyabeira | 56 | " | 100 | " | 8½ | " |
| Goyabeira to Curralhino | 66 | " | " | 10 | " | |
| Curralhino to Goyaz | 46 | " | 200 | " | 7 | " |
| Total | 531 | " | 300 | " | 80½ | " |