Brazil, the River Plate, and the Falkland Islands / With the Cape Horn route to Australia. Including notices of Lisbon, Madeira, the Canaries, and Cape Verde.

by William Hadfield

Buenos Ayres being the extent of my mission, and expecting the Brazileira so soon at Monte Video, I hastened my departure for Monday, the 27th September, when we embarked early, with a very heavy surf, caused by the northerly wind blowing right on shore. Few passengers would venture off, and it took me nearly an hour to reach the Argentina, in a good boat, pulled by stalwart rowers, than whom there are few better than the Buenos Ayreans, thanks to the perpetual practice required in their perilous roadstead of a harbour. For a place with shallow water, I never saw so heavy a surf, which renders it most uncomfortable to those who may be compelled to embark under such circumstances. We had a fresh breeze the greater part of the way, increasing to a strong one as we approached the mount of Monte Video, reaching it at dark, so as to get into that excellent haven. This, however, we did quite safely, and landed our passengers in buoyant spirits, and full of admiration of our craft’s performance, in the face of such difficulties. Next morning was wet and hazy, but on its clearing off at about eleven o’clock we were agreeably surprised to see our ocean steamer, Brazileira, close to the harbour. She soon came to an anchor, two days before her time, to the inexpressible confusion of many unbelieving individuals, who had been very prolific in their forebodings that she would be considerably in arrear of her promised undertaking. She was the first steamer that ever came direct to the River Plate with cargo and passengers, both which were landed, at Monte Video in thirty-five days, and Buenos Ayres in thirty-six days, thus completely establishing the practicability of such a communication, and adding another triumph to the wonders of steam. In such a country it is a boon that can only be understood and appreciated by degrees, but every practical writer on the affairs of the River Plate has pointed to steam as the alpha and omega—the one thing needful towards a successful development of its resources, and the only element by which these vast countries can be rendered available to mankind, or perform their part in the great work of their Creator. With steam and railways would come hands and emigration, so much required, and where there is a vast and lucrative field, perhaps the most lucrative in the world, for its operation.

Before quitting the La Plata, and its future destinies, I would say a few words on subjects connected therewith, although they may have no immediate bearing on the present narrative. I have before remarked how comparatively little is known in Europe of the past history of this part of South America, and of its internal resources. South of Buenos Ayres the curtain has been somewhat raised by guano researches on the coast of Patagonia, which have not resulted in any great gain to the adventurers. The climate is too humid, and the expense of drying the guano too great, to admit of much extension in that trade, which would scarcely have been opened but for the enterprize arising out of Ichaboe. Buenos Ayres has, therefore, lost nothing by this supposed encroachment on her territory, if it be rightfully hers—a point not altogether undisputed—which is, in other respects, wide enough, in all conscience, to admit of any multitude of industrious settlers, if they were disposed to come. Had similar deposits of guano to those on the coasts of Chili and Peru existed at Patagonia, then, indeed, there might have been a reasonable chance for the interest on Buenos Ayres Bonds being paid, considerably sooner than now seems likely. There is a spot to the southward, called Bahia Blanca, with a good bay, and a river running from a long distance westward, that promises well to become of much future importance. Parish makes allusion to military operations in that locality, and I found that at Buenos Ayres several parties had their attention directed there, as a place offering considerable advantages, in the centre of large cattle districts, and through which the shortest cut could be made to the south-west coast of this continent. There is little doubt that if a safe and easy route could be established across the country, it would be much frequented, and by many be preferred to Panama, with its sickly tendencies; a voyage of thirty or thirty-five days from England, and then a journey of ten or twelve days’ might enable the traveller to reach the territory of Chili through a fine country and healthy climate.

And speaking of Chili and Peru, the present may not be an inopportune place—at least I can now avail of no other—to state that a further link in the steam chain, wherein Brazil may be expected to play a prominent part, is that to the west coast of South America, through the Straits of Magellan, as already indicated in the introductory chapter in reference to Chili, whose government have granted a subsidy of £12,000 a year for a direct steam communication with England; and it is believed this can be best effected by having branch steamers from Rio to Valparaiso, making Rio, what it really ought to be, the port of transit for the southern ocean.[119] The mineral wealth of Chili and Peru is still, as all know, something almost fabulous, and the consumption of British manufactures in those countries very considerable; so that steamers would be sure of a paying freight both ways, with abundance of passengers, who would prefer such a route to the inconvenience and expense of crossing the isthmus. All that is required to secure to Brazil these important advantages, is a relaxation in its fiscal system, by which steamers can discharge and load in transit, without being subjected to local dues and restrictions, which are an extinguisher to progress in any country. If they decline to give these facilities, Monte Video and the Falkland Islands[120] will be only too glad of the opportunity, and wherever it takes root there it will remain. The question is important for Brazil, as a large number of vessels now put into Rio in transitu that would follow in the wake of steamers. Unfortunately, the facilities for dealing with cases of distressed vessels are no further advanced than they were fifty years back: not a graving dock, patent slip, or other convenient apparatus yet existing in the otherwise noble harbour of Rio Janeiro, although a floating sectional dock was in course of construction at Ponta d’Area.

It would appear that the formidable difficulties in navigating the Straits of Magellan exist only in name. Winter and summer the passage is quite easy and practicable, and settlements are taking place by which both sailing ships and steamers can be furnished with stores and provisions, whilst there is coal of the country ready to assist the movements of steam. But in reality, the dreaded peril of Cape Horn itself will soon be quite a matter of history,[121] if a halfway house hereabouts be established, as the proofs already adduced, and now quoted in a note, render a certainty. The coal is said to be a kind of bituminous anthracite, which gets up steam very well when mixed with English coal. Coal has been found on the coast of Chili of this description, and in places readily accessible for steam purposes. With the present high freights for coal shipped hence, the certainty of a supply of even inferior fuel of the kind is most important.

Other lines of steam communication are in process of formation along the South American, especially the Brazilian, coast, to connect the bye ports and rivers with the principal cities and towns; and two steamers, called the ‘Santa Cruz’ and ‘Continguiba,’ are shortly to leave for Bahia on this most useful errand; so that, in a few years, we may expect to find coasting steamers in Brazil as numerous almost as on our own coast, conveying to and fro passengers and produce, to the great advantage of the country and of our mercantile relations with it.

The Rio Company which has undertaken the contract with the Brazilian government for opening up the navigation of the Amazon has hardly yet been long enough in operation to show what can be accomplished. There are immense difficulties to overcome in pioneering a navigation of this kind through such wild, uncultivated, and almost unknown districts; and without a considerable subsidy, no association would undertake the task. Great credit is due to the Brazilian government for making a heavy sacrifice in order to insure so desirable an object. They are moreover negotiating with the Company with the view of correcting the clause of the contract which insures to the Company the exclusive privilege of navigating the river with steamers. These arrangements will doubtless be brought to a successful issue, for a more enlightened and patriotic citizen than Senhor Irenêo Evangelista de Souza, with whom the government contract was made, does not exist in any country. He has done more for the internal advancement of Brazil than any other man; witness the splendid establishment at Ponta d’Area, for foundry work, engineering, and ship building; the short railway to the foot of the Organ Mountains; lighting the city of Rio with gas, the establishment of a new bank which has lately merged into a national one; and, latterly, opening up the navigation of the Amazon; besides many other improvements that little is heard of. Only those personally acquainted with the indefatigable labours of Senhor Irenêo in such a country can judge of their real beneficial tendency, or of the gigantic mind required to cope with the difficulties entailed. Great stir is making by our Yankee friends in this part of the world; they have contracted with the Peruvian government for two small wooden steamers, which were sent out piecemeal, and put together at Pará. Report says very little in favour of the strength or speed of these steamers, qualities very essential to such a navigation, exposed to strong currents, and impediments from want of a proper knowledge of the channel of the river. I believe the Rio Company are building some fine powerful boats in this country, that will shortly be brought to bear on this increasing and, I venture to predict, wonderful traffic.

My mission being for the promotion of steam in South America, and the main aim and object of this volume being to make known here the desirability of, and the field for, such enterprise in that country, I trust the foregoing apparent digression in the midst of the return voyage will not appear irrelevant.

Leaving Monte Video on the morning of the 1st October, we steamed down the river, with a light breeze and sunny weather; soon passed Flores, which very much resembles some of our channel lighthouses, on a low island, a short distance from the land. Before sunset we had left the island of Lobos behind, and soon came into a nasty head wind and sea, which lasted for two or three days, causing the vessel to pitch a good deal, and making every one uncomfortable. At daylight on the fifth morning the mountains of Rio were in sight, the Corcovado towering over them. Passing Raza, the scenery is very fine, and will bear oft-repeated inspection with largely increased advantage, as it varies much with the particular period of the day when seen, the lights and shadows being so different, and changing with each succeeding hour. Early morning throws its sharp silvery touch over everything, tinting the sides and peaks of the mountains, which seem floating in mist, whilst the forts and buildings of the city have a sombre hue. At mid-day all this effect has cleared away; the hills stand out in bold relief—bright green is the distinguishing character of the landscape—and the glare of white houses and red tiles meets your eye in every direction. Towards evening the aspect again changes to a deep brown or purple, steeping all things in more glowing richness; and presently there is thrown over the whole that peculiar olive which is quite a reality in the tropics, but the painting of which looks more or less ideal to the vision accustomed only to the comparatively frigid atmosphere of our temperate zone. I merely allude to the general character of the scenery, which, of course, varies materially with the changes of weather, and needless is it to add that there are occasional sunsets which no description of language could adequately pourtray.