Starting at 7 o’clock this morning we passed over a beautiful campo country with a portion of fair matto land, and crossing the Rio Paranapanema we reached the town of that name at 3 o’clock P. M., making a distance of twenty-eight miles.
There were more horses and cattle seen to-day upon the green plains than upon any previous portion of our route, and this presents a fine prospect for raising stock of all kinds.
Small patches of good arable land, with a growth of trees, are scattered at long intervals throughout these extended undulating campos, and there are also trees growing along the small streams which meets all the demands for fuel or for making enclosure about the houses.
Within four miles of the town there is a large fazenda in the open land owned by Senor Francisco Antonio D’Aquiar e Castro, (son of the Marquiza de Santos,) who resides at São Paulo.
Here we saw that manure renders these lands productive, and the best specimen of cabbage seen in Brazil was growing in the garden, while other articles also looked vigorous.
There was a large number of hogs in most excellent condition enclosed in a pen, and the number of corn-cobs showed that this staple was produced plentifully in this section.
We met on the road beyond the fazenda a lot of fine hogs going to market, and asking the price it was stated to be seven dollars per head, and as they would average two hundred pounds, meat does not exceed three and a half cents per pound.
The buildings of the fazenda are commodious and substantial, with a dwelling that presents quite a neat appearance. A supply of clear water is brought from a distance by a race or ditch; and I especially observed the slight impression made upon this firm red clay soil by the passage of the rapid current of water through the yard into the lot for the hogs and cattle.
An extensive and very strong enclosure for the stock of cattle was constructed by having large upright posts placed in the ground, with a groove on each side, to receive the ends of poles, one above another, thus forming a most substantial close fence. Around this enclosure a row of trees has been planted, and protected by a railing of poles some three and a half feet from the ground; which will in a few years afford a good shade for such cattle as may be kept up. This planting of trees for shading is not often seen in any part of this country, and it is a matter of special attention in this place.
On riding into the town we met Senor Frei Ponsiano de Montaldo Capushinho, to whom we bore a letter, which being read, we were assured of his readiness to accommodate us.