Sorocaba contains about five thousand inhabitants, and was formerly a great mart for mules, there being eighty thousand sold here in a single season. It is very healthy, and there is but one physician in the entire district to meet all the needs of the people.
The city is located upon the Rio Sorocaba, from which it doubtless derives its name.
There is a factory here of fancy whips, that is somewhat famous throughout the province, and many of the ladies receive presents of Sorocaba riding-whips from those who wish to pay them a compliment. The structure of the whip is most elaborate, being plated with material of different colors, and a part of the larger end interwoven with fine pieces of the quills of the porcupine. The butt of the whip is covered with silver, and has a silver chain with some ornament attached to it, while there are two or three bands of silver on the stock.
At the same place will be found also fancy bridles, trimmed with silver; belts of most fantastic style; girth of rare patterns; cruppers of every variety, and saddle cloths, which are intended to be very ornamental on the animal.
To appreciate the importance of this class of articles, it is requisite to understand that many people here lay great stress upon their outfit for riding, and the style differs materially from that which we have been accustomed to see. The bridles are made in this establishment by platting a number of thongs of raw-hide into a flat or round form, which constitute the headstall and reins of the bridle, with sundry silver rings at different points of each.
Where the reins unite at the hand there are two rings, secured together by a small strap, and from each of these extends loose ends of some two feet in length, which may be used for whipping or for securing the animal. Martingales are very seldom used in this country.
Tuesday, December 26, 1865.
Having exhausted the resources of the place by our observations, we left Sorocaba at eight o’clock this morning, after being supplied with a cup of coffee and some biscuits by our host.
Our passage through dreary campo lands for three leagues (twelve miles) brought us to Campo Largo, which is a very comely little village of the mud-built type. Proceeding from this some miles, we began to observe the slopes on our right under cultivation, with a number of neat settlements along the lower part of the hills, which continued for a considerable distance on our course.
The rain fell heavily at one time, but we had the good fortune to have a house for protection, having stopped to examine some mules.