Hunting a home in Brazil

by James McFadden Gaston

Coffee has been seen here in lands of various kinds, and of all ages, presenting the most favorable indications of an abundant yield. The coffee produced in former years presents also the characteristics of a good, sound grain; and I am informed that the average yield of trees equals what was stated elsewhere to be a full crop on the best lands.

Several patches of coffee trees have been seen that did not afford a prospect of good results; and it is evident that a selection of location is a matter of moment here, as it is found to be even in the districts where coffee is most successfully cultivated.

The same kind of discrimination is necessary in determining what localities are suited to the growth of other articles, and a neglect of such precautions leads to a failure in the crop of either.

Rice is recognized as a certain and prolific product of all this region, but more especially of the lower section where lands become flat and moist. Mandioca yields abundantly.

Beans, which are more prized in Brazil than any other provision crop, are found to yield well in the lands visited, and though some specimens of failure have been observed, this has, for the most part, been satisfactorily accounted for by planting out of season or other departure from good farming. An abundant crop of sugar-cane, oranges, bananas, figs, and grapes, with a most excellent quality of pine-apples, makes up a variety of products which renders this a desirable land for the settlement of those who seek a home in Brazil.

Sunday, January 21, 1866.

Rising before day my young friend had all our baggage deposited in the canoe, and fresh eggs, with hot coffee and bread were in readiness when I was summoned from my bed. Partaking of these “fresh eggs,” etc., we resumed our voyage down the river, and I found this was not to be regarded as breakfast, but with the addition of two entire chickens to our supplies for the trip, we breakfasted at 9 o’clock A. M., and dined at 4 o’clock P. M. on the water.

We had as fellow-passenger a young porcupine, (ouriço,) that one of the negroes was taking down to sell as a pet; and finding that he was testing the quality of our figs, the negro guardian was called upon to secure the ugly little varmint at one end of the canoe.

We passed during the forenoon the mouths of the Rio Jacupiranga and the Rio Paricoera, on the latter of which I was told there are quite a number of inhabitants. Shortly after mid-day we passed through a canal, or cut through a neck of land, about one mile in length, which saved us four miles in the natural course of the river. The difference of level in the Ribeira is so slight at the entrance and outlet of this artificial communication, that the current through it is feeble, and instead of washing out it is gradually filling up from the repeated rises of the river, and our canoe had great difficulty in passing. The negroes labored hard, and one of them got out several times to push the canoe through the mud; but they worked with a good will, under the promise of a drink of rum at the close. Both had previously taken off their shirts, and with the confined air of this narrow channel, the mosquitoes, and the hard pulling, their bodies and arms were covered with perspiration before reaching the open water of the river. After getting their drink, and resting a short time, they proceeded as usual again.

Another canal was encountered at no great distance, cutting off another bend of the river, but it was much shorter, and there was no difficulty in the passage. On approaching the city of Ignape there is a very large artificial channel, in which a small steamboat passes; and being very straight, with the water running in the direction we came, it made a very pleasant trip of over a mile, to the immediate precincts of the city bridge.