A large coal-mine here would be far more valuable than a gold mine to the fortunate owner.
Senor João Paulo Dias is the delegado of police for the municipality of Iporanga, and occupying a position in society which entitles his statements and opinions to respect. Upon inquiring the facts as to health and climate in this locality and the adjacent country, he gives an unqualified voucher for their salubrity and pleasantness. I see nothing that could induce disease; and the atmosphere is dry, with the sun shining all the day brightly, while the elevation gives a more pleasant temperature than in lower places, or even in the plateau lands.
I am informed that none of these troublesome little insects which penetrate the skin of the feet, and other parts, are found here, and yet there are hogs constantly about the yard.
I learn here that the lands of Dom Prates, of which mention was previously made, are located near the route from Apiahy to Iporanga, and though hilly are considered fertile. It is stated, however, that the coffee trees planted there have all died, from some inscrutable cause. I am satisfied that the land is very unfavorably located for transportation, and shall not try to visit it under all the circumstances.
The important matter in selecting a place is to secure lands adapted to all the variety of products, which are exempt from liability to sickness, and affording ready means of communication with a market, by means of navigation. Such I trust may be found combined in the neighborhood of Xiririca; and without spending time looking at other points I will proceed to investigate those lands.
Sunday, January 7, 1866.
Though this day should have been observed as a day of rest, the arrangement of Senor Manoel made it incumbent to proceed in his canoe down the river to-day. After breakfasting with Senor João Paulo I was provided with a supply of chicken, fish, etc., etc., for my dinner, and took my departure at 9 o’clock A. M. The large fish, of which I had a part, and had also partaken at breakfast, was caught with a hook from the river, and though the name has escaped me, it was a fine specimen of what these waters produce. I understand that large fish are not so frequent here as lower down in the stream, but that there are a great many of good size for table use in all parts of the river.
While coming down in the canoe I read in the Portuguese Testament the sixth chapter of St. John’s gospel, and tried to profit by the lessons of dependence upon the Lord which it inculcates.
In the early part of my descent the lands were quite mountainous on each side of the river, but the irregularity of the surface gradually became less, until I reached a region where the elevations afforded only an agreeable relief to the more uniform configuration of the surface.
All the corn seen in the first part of the voyage seemed to have been planted early, and had become prematurely dry, giving an unfavorable impression of the yield of this region. But that observed lower down, and more recently planted, looked fresh and vigorous, while the corn approaching maturity was evidently of better stamina than that passed above. This change was evident after descending twenty miles, and decided after reaching the Inguary. This small river enters opposite to a very pretty island, which looks as if it would be productive; and the appearance of the corn on each bank of the Ribeira indicated good soil.