Hunting a home in Brazil

by James McFadden Gaston

If a murder has occurred at any particular spot, there a cross is certainly erected; and as murders were very ordinary occurrences throughout certain portions of this country in former years, it may be that most of the crosses, remote from dwellings, indicate the site of a murder. These crosses are frequently covered by a small house, and garlands of flowers will sometimes be seen, either fresh or decayed, upon them. There is a basis of superstition connected with all this, which the intelligent Roman Catholics of Brazil ignore and lament; yet the mass of the people, in their ignorance, continue to practice these things with a reverential awe.

In lieu of breakfast we stopped at a wayside inn, and got a cup of coffee, which was enjoyed with my cold lunch of beef and bread given me by the landlady at the Hotel da Europa.

Being now in good riding-trim, and being mounted upon an easy-going horse, I took the lead, so as to hurry up my Brazilian friend. He is of Spanish extraction; and not much more of the go-ahead in his composition than pertains to the character of most of these people, who have grown up under the idea that to-morrow is as good as to-day.

Upon entering the lands of the fazenda we first encountered an extensive level plain, which is called “campo largo.” This was covered with a short grass, that seemed to be relished by the cattle and horses which were grazing upon different parts of it. The cattle seemed in good order, but the horses and a few mules looked shabby and rather thin, as if they did not receive the same benefit as the other stock from the grazing.

The soil was almost black, and with the use of the plough might yield other grasses; or it might prove productive if planted in corn or peas. Yet this experiment has yet to be made, and is certainly attended with much doubt.

This campo largo is separated from the other land, that lies more irregular in its conformation, by a stream of water, such as we would style a creek. On the other side of this the land ascends into a range of mountain elevations, whose sides can only be cultivated with great difficulty by the hoe. Upon these slopes the land is of a dark gray aspect, corresponding more to the appearance of some of the up-country lands in South Carolina than any I have seen here.

The houses composing the site of this fazenda are located at the foot of this range of elevated land, and in a central position as to the territory. There is a good dwelling, of moderate size, having a plank floor, glass windows, and a tile roof. The outhouses are inferior in quality, yet capacious, and meet the needs of the establishment. A monjolo is worked by water, brought in a race from the stream spoken of, and there is an old apparatus formerly used for grinding mandioca, which is now out of order, but might be turned to practical account.

After a plain, substantial dinner, the examination of the lands was resumed, and we visited two sites where families were located, but the positions were not well suited for dwellings. Indeed, there are no good situations for the residence of families anywhere on the place, as the chief location is almost inaccessible from the irregularity of the ground. An abandoned coffee-patch lies near the house.

The quality of most of the land is inferior, and unfavorably located for cultivation with a plough; and I felt satisfied at sight that this place was not adapted for our purposes. Being very tired I declined eating any thing for supper, and retired to my quarters, where I found a very comfortable bed arranged with musqueto-netting. The single bed, corresponding very much in proportion to our hospital bunks, is the most frequent in this country; and it is very rare that a large double bed is found, except for family use where there are children.

There is one view of this fazenda which might be worthy of attention, and though evidently unsuited to the location of a number of families, there is a large extent of territory which is well adapted to grazing, and a cattle range can be extended to public lands lying adjacent. There is a considerable portion of elevated campo land, independent of the level plain described as lowland, which would doubtless suit very well for sheep and goats, as some of it is quite rugged, and has clumps of trees, which would serve as places of retreat in the heat of the day. Any one who would desire to combine stock-raising with a farming business, might do it here advantageously; and from the proximity to the market of São Paulo, there would be a ready disposition of all that could be grown.