Beds were spread upon the floor for the accommodation of our party, and we found every thing very comfortable.
We found here upon arrival Senor Martino, with a friend connected with the law school in São Paulo. They had come down with their guns and dogs, expecting to have a hunt in this vicinity; but it has been raining so constantly as to prevent the sport. Both of these gentlemen have been students of law for more than the usual term, but their fondness for the woods with their dogs and guns has taken more of their attention than their books. Senor Martino has now, however, graduated, and has consequently the title of Dom, as every one here has who is permitted to practise law. He has promised to send me a supply of indigo seed from Minas, where he resides and this plant is grown extensively.
Wednesday, December 13, 1865.
After breakfasting some of our party repaired to the clear, cold stream, where a dam had been thrown up, and enjoyed a plunge bath, which was quite bracing and salutary.
We were conveyed from the station to the foot of the serra in a light open car, by a horse. We went in a rapid trot over the smooth parts of the road, but suddenly we were notified that the engine was meeting us, when our trella was stopped, and the horse disengaged so as to run it back and avoid a collision. The engine, however, stopped before reaching us, and we proceeded to the workshop on foot.
The entire party were next carried up the steep grade on the serra, of one foot ascent in every ten feet, for one mile and a quarter, by the action of a stationary engine of one hundred and sixty horse-power. We then walked a similar distance, a land-slide having interrupted the running of the inclined plane. Again we were drawn up the third section, and walked up the fourth, where the track was torn away by the sliding of the earth.
Much has been done here to overcome the natural difficulties presented by this serra, but much more has yet to be done before any reliance can be placed upon this line for transportation of freight, or as a highway of travel for passengers. Not only must the earth or stone upon which the track rests be secured against yielding, but the sides of the cuts in the serra must not be liable to slide, and thus endanger the passage of trains, or obstruct the road at various points.
There is a double track for one-half of the distance upon each of the four inclined planes, and a balance car runs down at one end of the huge wire cable, while the train is drawn up at the other extremity.
By sundry turns of this cable around the rims of large metal wheels connected with the stationary engines, the friction and resistance is such as to obviate slipping of the wire cable. This entire force is brought to bear upon the freighted train in its ascent, while the descending balance car keeps the cable tight, and exerts some influence upon the ascending train of cars.
At each of the four stations one of these immense engines, having five capacious and strong boilers, exerts its power in bringing up the trains. But all this seems now very much like the lever of Archimedes, with which he proposed to move the world if he could but secure a fulcrum. The basis of efficient operation for the road being the embankment upon which the track rests, it is indispensable that some plan shall be adopted to render it secure, or the tremendous power of the machinery can be of no avail.