Price of residence of Senor João, $5.00 per acre.
Between the last-named and the rest of the land there intervenes partially a portion of another fazenda, called Quilombo, which it is thought can be had upon similar terms as the above.
The stream Ribeirão dos Negros forms the boundary for a short distance upon the north of the first-named tract, and then penetrates the lands of Babylonia; supplying water convenient to other portions, and having several considerable falls which might be made available for any extent of machinery.
The surface of the land is irregular, and in some parts mountainous, inclining from either side towards the water, which traverses the entire extent of the lands. Upon the tract enumerated as that of José Goncalves there is an elevated plateau of perhaps one hundred acres which lies favorably, and has a stream of water running across it through an artificial channel. By means of this small stream a monjolo is worked at two different places; and the soil is of good quality, while the site for building is very advantageous. Upon a portion of this plateau, twenty thousand (20,000) coffee plants are growing from the seed, which are two years old and look thriving, but are still small. When the seed are planted in the places where the tree is to grow, it is thought to have some advantages; yet the almost universal custom is to transplant from a nursery the rundas or young sprouts when they have remained for one year, and thus the stand is perhaps rendered more certain and uniform.
If several families should combine in purchasing these lands, a hamlet or village might be formed upon the plateau spoken of, and each have sufficient ground in connection with their dwellings to raise vegetables and necessary supplies. Those employed as laborers could be located upon their respective tracts of land, and thus be separated from their dwellings. In this way children might have a common school, and many arrangements for the common benefit of the families could be made convenient to this site, while the water could be carried to any point it might be desired. The soil upon most of the hillsides is of good quality and free from frost, so as to be suitable for planting coffee.
Tobacco was seen growing upon this place, as a second crop from the stalks which had been previously cut off, and though the result did not appear favorable, it would repay the trouble of gathering. This region produces tobacco very satisfactorily; and the neighboring section of Belem (a contraction of Bethlehem) is regarded as particularly well suited for the culture of this plant. The mode of preparing the tobacco for market, here and elsewhere in the country, is to work it into a kind of rope, with the hands, that is, coiled round a piece of wood two and a half or three feet long, so that it may be conveniently shipped upon the pack-mules. It presents a very dark, oily aspect, as if some foreign ingredient were used in its preparation, and yet this is said to be simply the exudation of the juice, which results from the manipulation. This tobacco is strong, but not regarded as equal in quality to that manufactured in Virginia; and my friends who used tobacco attributed this inferiority to the want of proper treatment in this Brazilian twist.
In other provinces of Brazil, more northward, I am informed that the leaf-tobacco is packed in bales, and shipped largely to England and other places, for making segars, or for other processes of manufacture that enhance its value.
The soil and climate are said to be well adapted to the growth of tobacco in all parts of the country.
Wednesday, October 18, 1865.
We parted from our old friend Captain Feliciana, the courteous and kind Dom Queiroz, and our host, Senor Franco, at nine o’clock this morning.