We took our leave this morning of our kind friends at Ybicaba, and with a guide furnished by Senor José Vergueiro, we set out for the fazenda of Senor Rafael Paes de Barros, son of the Baron of Rerecicoba.
Our route lay through a region having a very large growth of timber, and we saw trees of eight feet in diameter, which gives twenty-four feet around the base of the trunk. The soil in this vicinity is of a dark red or purple color, and of a loose loamy consistence. It is the richest land of this country, and produces to great advantage all the crops usually planted here; yet some planters think this rich purple soil, that is known here as “terra rocha,” is not so well adapted to the culture of cotton as the land which has an admixture of sand.
We reached São Antonio, the residence of Senor Barros, about 12 o’clock, and he met us in the front yard with an open expression of hospitality, which made me feel that his words of welcome were not a mere empty sound.
After showing us his cotton house, where he had a large quantity of cotton in the seed, he took us to his recently-constructed gin-house, where the machinery is moved by water-power. He has a thirty-saw gin of American manufacture, and a small screw of his own make, which will meet his present wants; but so soon as his large force is employed in growing cotton, the appliances for preparing it for market must be greatly increased.
His experiment in the culture of cotton has been entirely satisfactory, and he considers the crop of great importance with the present high price in Rio.
The article grown here is of better quality than most of the cotton grown in the Southern States, and the fibre is not only longer and finer, but it is evidently stronger than our cotton. Some small specimens of the sea island cotton have been seen, which grew in this region of country, and they presented a beautiful silky-looking fibre; yet the size of the bolls, and the general yield of the stalks, does not afford encouragement to grow it rather than the other qualities of cotton.
Upon this fazenda there are four hundred thousand coffee trees, of which two hundred and eighty thousand are bearing fruit, and the others are young trees recently planted out.
Being invited to remain for dinner, we enjoyed a most abundant supply of the substantials, as well as the delicacies of the table.
Senhora manifested her respect by meeting us with a bow before going to her seat at the table, and though she made but few remarks during the dinner, this was simply in accordance with the recognized rôle of females in society here. A lady in Brazil is kept secluded to a great extent, and is rarely seen in a parlor with gentlemen, except they may be intimate friends of the family. When seen at the table, she is usually seated by her husband, or if he is at the end of the table her position is adjacent to the corner upon his right or left hand, and guests are seated on the opposite side.
In the case of young ladies the restrictions are still greater, and with the existing regime, I don’t understand how gentlemen become sufficiently intimate with young ladies to form a basis of marriage. Yet matrimonial alliances are here formed very early, and perhaps in part influenced by the desire of the parent to transfer the guardianship of his daughter to other hands, so that he may be relieved of the sense of responsibility. I am told that it is not uncommon for girls to be married as early as they reach the age of thirteen or fourteen years. The physical development of females in this climate is much in advance of those in colder latitudes, and they become mothers in Brazil before females in the United States are considered marriageable. Not only is their vigor of frame thus impaired, but the cultivation of their minds is in like manner arrested by the cares which must necessarily devolve upon them, and really it seems that the evil of secluding females from the freedom of society brings with it a host of other evils. If the cause be corrected, the effects will be remedied as a natural consequence.
Senor Barras very kindly proposed to furnish me letters to parties who might aid me in the prosecution of my objects, and with the assurance of his cordial good wishes we proceeded on our line of travel in the afternoon.
After a pleasant ride of three miles across the country, in which the Rio Claro was crossed, we reached the town known by the name of São João de Rio Claro. It is constructed chiefly with one-story houses, after the style of other interior towns through which we passed, yet there is more of neatness in their appearance, and in the order of the streets, than has been noted elsewhere.
We called, with a letter of introduction, upon Tenente Coronel Senor José Estaninlaus D’Oliveiro, the commandant of the national guard for this district.
He has recently proposed to give one hundred dollars to every citizen of his district who would volunteer for the active service of the war.
When my mission was explained to him, he signified his readiness to aid me, and said his house was open for me or any of my friends whenever it might suit us to stop with him. He gave us an invitation to spend the night at his house, but my object being to see as much of the country as possible, I thanked him for his kind offer, and departed with his best wishes.
In proceeding from Rio Claro we encountered the first open plains I had seen, and with a poor sandy soil; there was scarcely grass sufficient to sustain the cattle that were here and there scattered over these campo lands.
For several miles the monotony was only broken by a few huge ant-hills, that seemed to be the result of some considerable excavation of the earth, and the inquiry was naturally suggested whether the people had been digging for gold or making a well for water.
This striking contrast of barren plains, in close proximity to the richest forest lands, is a very remarkable characteristic of this section.
After passing a large area of this waste land, we reached another fazenda of Senor José Vergueiro, called Angelica, where he awaited our arrival, and repeated the kindly reception which had been extended to us at Ybicaba. This place is ten miles from Rio Claro, and consists of twenty-six thousand acres of land. Much of this large domain is campo land, of little value; and yet there is an immense body of very valuable land, a part being under cultivation in coffee, sugar-cane, cotton, corn, rice, beans, &c., while there is yet a large portion of original forest that is favorably located and of good quality.
The buildings on this place are of huge proportions, and the machinery adapted to all the practical operations of the various departments of industry. Water-power is used for a saw-mill, a grist-mill and a coffee-mill, while oxen are employed in running a wooden mill for the sugar-cane.
The facilities here for conducting the various kinds of business are not equal to those at Ybicaba, yet the basis is here for indefinite additions and improvements in the appliances, and the energy of the proprietor is likely to render all its resources available for efficient operation.
This place was formerly the family residence of the father and mother of Senor Vergueiro, and the name, Angelica, is that of his mother.
His father was a man of considerable note, and was for a time regent of the empire during the minority of the present Emperor. He has been dead several years, and this property is held jointly by the heirs, but under the control of the gentleman above-named, who expects to make it the counterpart of Ybicaba.
Upon this place there is a mill-race, four miles long, but even then the water reaches only midway the immense wheel, making it a breast-wheel, however, of immense power, by the large column of water.
All the negroes came into the house to salute their master, with the customary placing of hands together, and saying “Santa Christ,”[14] which is an abbreviation for “Louvado seja nosso senhor Jesus Christ,” that is said by almost every negro in meeting a white person.
Having enjoyed a comfortable bed for the night, we had a cup of coffee upon rising this morning, and afterwards joined Senor Vergueiro in making an examination of a very substantial and neat residence of sandstone, which has been recently erected on this place. The sandstone is procured from a quarry located upon the lands of the fazenda, and when dressed makes a very excellent wall. The general plan of the house was made by Senor Vergueiro, but the services of an engineer named Shelb have been called into requisition for the embellishments, and the result is very creditable to both. Although the building is not large, it has the lower story arranged for machinery, with a large water-wheel on the side of the house, but so covered as not to attract the attention of one taking an outside view of the building. This structure is an ornament to the place, and indicates progress in the architectural designs of the country.
We were shown here a plan of the lands belonging to this fazenda, which had been executed by the above-named engineer. It displays all the different kinds of soil, with the distinction of growth upon each; the campo lands having a very scanty and scrubby growth, the matto virgem being covered with the large original forest trees, and the capoeira with small trees that have sprung up on land which was formerly under cultivation. It is a large colored map, evidently made with great care, after a regular survey of the premises, made by contract with the proprietor.
After breakfast we rode out to take an extended view of the lands under cultivation, and the woodlands that lay convenient for observation. On the way, we passed the houses occupied by the colonists employed on this place, and I counted twenty-four double houses, making forty-eight tenements, for the separate families. Each family has a piece of ground attached to the house, or located at a convenient distance, so that corn and vegetables may be grown for their own use.
The contract with the proprietor only requires their services in gathering coffee from the trees, and for this labor they are paid what is considered to be one-half the value of the crude berries that are gathered. The estimate placed upon an alqueric—corresponding to our bushel—of the crude coffee berries, is seventy-five cents; and unless the crop is good, ordinary hands do not gather more than two bushels per day. Yet when the trees are very full, and the person is industrious and skilful, from five to eight bushels may be gathered in one day.
The lands planted in coffee at this place are not of the best quality, and yet the crop seems to have been fair, judging from those trees which have not yet been gathered.
The corn and beans being but little above the ground, no estimate can be formed as to what the crop may be; and the same in regard to rice which has been planted. But the general impression received from riding through the plantation was not particularly favorable to its fertility, nor does the ground lie favorably for cultivation.
We rode through a large body of woodland, which gave indications of a fair quality of soil, and lay very advantageously for cultivation. Yet it is not of that purple aspect which characterizes the best soil; and I do not see upon this place any of the terra rocha which abounds at Ybicaba. I was led to infer that this was perhaps the most favorable view which could be taken of the premises, as my proposition to traverse the territory in another direction, in the afternoon, did not meet the acquiescence of Senor Vergueiro, and yet he proposes to sell a part or the whole of this extensive tract of land. He does not make known his terms, and I don’t think that any portion of the vast area of this fazenda fulfils the conditions for a desirable settlement.
Captain Carvalho, an old gentleman of sixty-five years of age, is the administrator at Angelica; and seems to be treated with much respect by the proprietor. He is regarded as the best authority respecting persons or places within twenty miles of this fazenda, and has rendered us important service in these respects. His wife is a young, hale, buxom woman, who looks as if she might welcome another husband at the demise of this frail old man. She did not take a seat at the table with us, nor did she make her appearance often in the room. The women of this medium class of people have not usually presented themselves when we have visited their houses, nor are they ever seen at the table during meals.
I wrote a long communication from this place for the information of my friends, which was sent to my wife, along with a private letter to her.
Having secured a guide for the various parts of the country which we expected to visit, we left Angelica this morning, and came a distance of twelve miles to the fazenda of Senor João Ribeiro de Santos Carmargo. A letter from him was given to his administrator, Senor Antonio, who seemed at the outset to be at a loss what disposition to make of us and our rather large retinue. Ere long, however, we got into the house, and our baggage being brought in, he gave directions for the care of the stock. We soon found, also, that arrangements were in a state of progress for giving us dinner, which proved to be a good substantial meal.
In the afternoon he conducted us to a portion of woodland, also to a field planted recently with coffee trees, and having a crop of corn and beans interspersed with it.
I was surprised to find this soil very superior to that about the location of the building, and was impressed with the importance of making a thorough investigation of the adjacent territory. We went in a southeasterly direction to the foot of the serra, through a virgin forest of three miles in extent, and most of the growth indicated fruitfulness of the soil. At this point, the land under cultivation presented a good appearance, and the old corn-stalks showed a good result for the past year. There was also between this and the woods some open pasture, which had a fine crop of grass, and we suggested that our animals be sent here to graze, while we should be furnished from the fazenda for to-morrow’s ride.
Mounted upon the plantation-mules, we rode at an early hour with Senor Antonio to visit the plantation, which runs along the foot of the serra, in an easterly direction from the site of the houses. The coffee trees were the chief objects of interest, and presented the aspect of vigorous development. Most of them had been stripped entirely or partially, and no correct opinion could be formed as to their yield from the statements of the man in charge.
A small piece of land had been planted last year in cotton, and the stalks, which had been cut off preparatory to another crop, indicated only a moderate development. There was a considerable extent of ground open for pasture that lay favorably for cultivation, and from the size of the old, deadened trees still standing upon it, the prospect would be good for a yield of cotton.
Within a half-mile from the foot of the serra, for more than a mile in length, the soil was of a reddish aspect, with a considerable proportion of sand, and as it receded beyond this distance from the serra, the increase of sand was such as to render the soil unproductive.
In all directions around the houses of this fazenda a barren campo extends to a considerable distance, and the land is not even suitable for pasture, as the grass which grows upon it is not eaten by the horses or cows to any extent, nor does it prove nutritious.
After returning from this visit to the coffee field, we were joined by Major Manuel Reginaldo de Morars Salles, who breakfasted with us, and then showed us another extensive portion of the lands. Taking the main road towards the southeast, upon which we started yesterday evening, we continued upon it, as the boundary of the land, for two miles.
Though the trees growing along this line, for more than a mile from the point of divergence yesterday evening, were large and numerous, yet the sand predominated in an increasing ratio, rendering the soil of little value. We then travelled for three miles through a barren campo, constituting the border of the tract, when a virgin forest was entered, through which we rode about half a mile into the better quality of land near the serra. Here the land was productive, but was very irregular, and liable to wash under cultivation, as there was more or less sand mixed with it. We did not find here, as at the northern portion of the serra, that dark red soil which always has more solidity than the sandy soil, and, hence, less liability to wash away by the rains.
From this point we emerged, on a different line from that by which we entered, and soon encountered a sterile region following round the border of the tract for a mile, through a complete waste of sandy campo land.
We at length came to a considerable stream, upon which there is an advantageous site for machinery, and were the better quality of lands near this point, the facility for securing this fine water-power would constitute quite a recommendation to the place. But the desirable lands are all at some miles distance, and a very bad route for the construction of roads from them to this point. We encountered at a house here a grove of delicious oranges, upon which we all feasted to our utmost capacity.
Reviewing the impressions of yesterday evening and to-day, I would conjecture that this body of land extends about six miles in length from northwest to southeast, and that its average width from the serra was two and a half miles, making nine thousand and six hundred acres of land. Of this, I would consider one-third as utterly worthless, and another third as only suited for pasturage, while the remaining three thousand and two hundred acres is good land, and lies advantageously for cultivation.
The administrator stated that there were seventy thousand (70,000) coffee trees bearing fruit, and twenty thousand (20,000) trees which have been planted at different times within the past two years, while there are ten thousand (10,000) plants recently set out. Of course, the value of the property is increased by the growth of these coffee trees, as every tree bearing fruit makes an annual income, and the estimated value of each plant when it commences to yield is twenty cents.
The territory over which we have passed has many small streams of water convenient to the different sections of the land, and the water was clear and pleasant to drink.
The land under cultivation lies in two separate localities, and yet both near the serra. The most elevated grounds in this country seem to be the most fertile, having, in the best localities, a dark red loamy soil; while the level lands, either in low flats or in plateaus, are composed largely of sand, and have little adaptation to agricultural purposes. The chief growth upon the campos are a harsh grass and a wild fern, with here and there a few scrubby trees of small size.[15]
We arose at daylight this morning and getting a cup of coffee rode five miles through campo lands, to the Rio Roque, (River Rock.) At the point visited another small stream, with a five-mile site, runs into this river; and should any one locate near this place it would be available for machinery requiring but little water-power.
Senor Antonio Rodriguez Foone, the administrator, who was specially charged with the duty of showing us these lands, referred to an old woman living in a house near by, and was told by her that the lands beyond the Rio Roque belonged to the property; and as he supposed the property extended up the western side, we preferred to explore this without crossing the river. We rode up for nearly a mile, and found that the nature of the soil and the configuration of the surface were very well adapted for cultivation. The timber upon it is large, and much of it having a long, straight trunk, which would adapt it admirably for building. The soil near the road is of that dark red loamy order which is considered the most productive in the country. This taken in connection with the more elevated woodlands lying on the opposite side of the stream, would form a good settlement for several families, and the general aspects are favorable for health.
After returning from this visit we passed through a body of land lying in a southwest course from the buildings, and about one mile distant. It lies very favorably, and is evidently superior to most of the lands on this place. The soil is that dark red loam which constitutes terra rocha, and the timber is much the same as that of the land described upon the Roque. If there is any considerable extent of these lands they would form an offset to the larger proportion of worthless land belonging to this fazenda. On this point, as on others connected with dimensions, our guide could give me no information, so that I am left to the broad domain of surmise.
In forming an approximate estimate of the lands traversed this morning, I am without any other criterion than the probabilities based upon what I saw and what Senor Antonio supposed to be the outline of the fazenda.
The figures used in my calculation for the other portion of the land will correspond very well to my ideas of the extent of territory here, and we may say it is six miles long by two and a half miles wide, making nine thousand six hundred acres. The land previously spoken of lies westward and northward from the houses, and making a line from the southern end of the serra across by the buildings to the boundary, leaves all the land south and east to be included in the observation of this morning.
This entire area does not perhaps contain over two thousand acres of productive land,[16] and the rest is of a quality that cannot be made available for any practical object, save it might be for a glass factory, from the immense beds of sand accumulated on this barren waste.
We left Morro Grande, the fazenda of Senor João, and went twenty miles northwest to the house of Captain Feliciana.
Having enjoyed the plain and substantial hospitality of our old friend the Capitão, as men who are hungry and tired always do, we saw no reason for detention during the day, and set out at an early hour, accompanied by our host, to the fazenda of Senor Dom Francisco Antonio de Sonza Queiroz.
A dignified and yet courteous reception was soon followed by the assignment to very comfortable quarters, and the furnishing of a most excellent breakfast.
His own wife, and the wife of Senor Dom Francisco Aguiar de Barros, graced the table with their presence; and the style of every thing indicated the refinement and elegance of the families. The gentlemen were so situated at the table as to separate their wives from the guests, which seems to be one of the relics of the olden times that clings to the people of the best class.
These two gentlemen own lands adjoining each other, and both having recently opened up their fazendas, Dom Barros has not yet got his buildings arranged for his residence; and his wife being a sister of Dom Queiroz the families are living together.
Every thing about the establishment is conducted with much neatness and good taste; and the dinner table, with its rich service of silver and variety of dishes, had an air of completeness that would do credit to any society. Our tea-table, also, was a type of the best order of things; and, though the ladies left before the retiring of the gentlemen, it must have been a great relief to get away when not partaking in the conversation. With this class of people tea is not served until half-past eight o’clock; and after the table is cleared the party sit around and chat until the hour of retiring for the night. When a social group are thrown with one another at tea, this is doubtless very pleasant; but not understanding much that was said on the part of others, and disliking to call upon Mr. Bennaton to interpret commonplace remarks either from myself or others, I found this tarrying around the tea-table quite a patience-trying ordeal.
I observe here, as elsewhere, that there is a long, slim pole erected in the front yard, with an emblem of some saint on a piece of cloth in a frame, attached to the top of the pole. They are called saint-poles, and the figure is changed in commemoration of each particular saint’s day.
At every house that has been passed or visited, without distinction of the class of people, where Roman Catholics reside, this emblem of their faith is to be seen. Though the figures are usually of the most uncouth aspect and clumsy execution, it is supposed that holy associations cling around them, and they are retained even when tattered and defaced by the elements.
In connection with this it is particularly becoming to refer to the habit among the negroes, which has attracted my attention at several of the fazendas, and which was observed here this evening. After the forming of all in a line, for the purpose of counting them at night, they repaired to the rear apartment of the building, occupied by the family, and all kneeling down they rehearsed a religious service, in which they were lead by one of their number. After this all retired to their respective lodgings for the night.
I observed that a similar proceeding was conducted in the yard where the negroes were mustered or formed into line, at the fazenda of Senor João Robiero de Santos Carmargo, and it is doubtless a part of the routine whenever any considerable number of negroes are collected.
Were it really a service of the heart, and not a mere outward ceremony, there would be an appropriateness and impressive solemnity in thus looking to God for his blessing at the close of the day’s labor.
But while a few of the number may have some sense of reverence for God associated with this daily observance, it is evident that the greater part join in it as a mere matter of routine.
The mustering and counting of the negroes at night is usually done in front of the residence of the owner, and he thus has the assurance that all are present. I learn that the habit of running away is not uncommon here, and at some places the sound of the shackles has been heard when the negroes were assembled, though nothing of the kind was brought to my attention in this establishment.
In some instances the shackles are put on their ankles only at night to keep them in their quarters, while in others they are kept on while at work as a matter of punishment, and I saw at one fazenda a very old woman with shackles on her ankles while she was employed in stirring the coffee that was drying. She had been guilty of poisoning other negroes, and was regarded as a very dangerous person to go at large.
My observation of slavery in this country leads me to the conclusion that the exactions from the negro are greater, and the provision for his subsistence and comfort less than was experienced formerly in the United States.
After a pleasant rest for the night, we were regaled this morning before rising with a most excellent cup of coffee, which, it will be observed, is a part of the hospitality in every well-regulated household.
In due course of time our breakfast came, and, along with other articles, we enjoyed “Café corn leite” and excellent corn bread, made of fine meal.
This “Café corn leite” is prepared by boiling the milk with the coffee, and is so great an improvement upon the simple mixture of milk or cream with coffee that it ought to be resorted to generally by our people who are fond of this combination for breakfast.
Being supplied with horses by our host, we rode out with him to see his newly-opened plantation, called Fazenda Nova, passing in our route the site he has selected for building upon, whenever time is allowed for erecting a family residence. His brickyard and saw-mill are in successful operation, and the latter is a well-arranged perpendicular saw, that performs admirably, even in the hard material of the timber in all this country.
I have as yet seen no instance of a circular saw in operation here, and it certainly would be better adapted to the compact and hard wood which has to be encountered in sawing.
The coffee trees on this place have all been set out within the past two years, and some of them have been planted very recently. In all there are one hundred and forty thousand, and the number is still to be extended.
The lands under cultivation are, for the most part, elevated, and of the dark red terra rocha, being of very superior quality for the coffee.
We visited also the newly-opened fazenda[17] of Senor Dom Barros, and I there had the opportunity of witnessing the burning of a “roça,” or new ground, of twelve acres, upon which the timber had been simply felled and partially dried. The land being scraped around to prevent extension of the fire, all the negroes were posted at regular intervals to guard the progress of the conflagration, and the fallen timber was then fired in various places.
It was an interesting sight, as illustrating the custom of all the planters in Brazil for preparing their lands to receive the seed for the first time; and, with the heat of a boiling sun, in addition to the heat of the fire, I found that “distance lends enchantment to the view.”
In riding through the sun to-day I was more affected by its heat than at any time previously, and though it may look something like adopting the doctrine of “Similia similibus curantur,” I resorted to the use of strong coffee, with decidedly good result. At the new structure of Senor Barros we found excellent coffee prepared for us, and with a sense of depression from my exposure to the hot sun, I drank two cups of the ordinary size in the United States, which relieved me greatly; and, upon going out again, I did not experience so much inconvenience from the heat, though the sun was beaming down its rays with even greater intensity than before. This stimulant evidently lessened the influence of the sun.
The thermometer stands to-night at 80° Fahrenheit, and was doubtless 90° at two o’clock P. M., as it is very sensibly cooler since the sun disappeared, while a pleasant breeze always fans the earth at night.
Some valuable information was received from Dom Queiroz to-day, in regard to the employment by contract, of men having negroes under their control, from the province of Minas. These negroes have been heretofore employed upon coffee estates which have ceased to be profitable in that section, and the owners are sending them to this comparatively new region, under responsible overseers, to contract with the landowners for their labor. They go into the virgin forest, clear it up after the style of the country, and plant young coffee trees furnished by the landowner, which are to be cared for, and the intervening space of land cultivated on their own account during four years; at the end of which time, the field is turned over to the owner, with the coffee trees yielding fruit.
In consideration of this service, the landowner pays to the contractor twenty cents for each coffee tree which is growing and ready to yield; and if any cash is advanced to him prior to the end of the fourth year, he gives guarantees for the fulfilment of his stipulation, and pays twelve per cent. per annum interest upon the money thus received. The contractor supplies himself with tools, and his hands with provisions, or other articles needed, so that the landowner is not responsible in any way for them.
During the first two years, the contractor may plant whatever crop he chooses between the rows of the coffee trees, but the owner has the right to dictate what shall be planted in the subsequent two years; and as the growth of the plants may be impaired by the presence of high corn or other things calculated to shade them, these may be forbidden.
Should the coffee commence yielding before the expiration of the four years, the contractor obligates himself to gather the crop, and turn over one-half of it to the owner of the land.
The advantage to the contractor consists in having the use of land for four years, in consideration of clearing it, and the twenty cents per tree is very full pay for the labor and attention bestowed upon the coffee plants.
On the other hand, the owner, having a large amount of land without sufficient force to do all this heavy work, gets his land put in good order for cultivation, and has the coffee trees upon it bearing fruit. Considering that four hundred and sixteen (416) trees grow upon one acre of ground, his improved land costs him eighty-three dollars ($83) per acre; and the question arises, could not day-laborers have been employed throughout this period for the same outlay of money, who would have given the owner the annual return from the cultivation of the lands, in addition to the final growth of the coffee trees?
I learn that one man can clear and plant in the course of a year ten acres of land, and the same man can of course cultivate it in a crop of provisions during subsequent years. This man can be hired to work, and find himself, certainly at one dollar a day for the working days of the year, which may be put down at three hundred dollars, which for four years will be twelve hundred dollars.
For this amount, I have had my annual provisions from the land, and my coffee trees are now ready to yield me an annual crop. If this sum now is reduced by subtracting the value of the crop for each of the three last years, at the rate of thirty dollars per acre for each year, making nine hundred dollars, it leaves but three hundred dollars of outlay for my coffee trees; or thirty dollars per acre, instead of the eighty-three dollars per acre paid out by the system of contract.
In this point of view, it is evident that our friend Dom Queiroz and others who make this arrangement with the negro contractors are paying very exorbitant rates of hire. I have purposely placed the rate of day-labor far above the rate usually paid in this country; and it is not usual to pay a caipira or Portuguese more than five dollars a month, and furnish him lodging and provisions, which in cash outlay will not exceed one-half of the sum specified in my calculations.
It behooves our people to consider all these things in making their arrangements, and not fall into any plan of operations because others are doing it.
In estimating the increased value of lands, with a full stand of coffee trees bearing fruit, the calculation may with more propriety be based upon the estimate of twenty cents per tree, because you receive an immediate return for the investment, of from three to six pounds of coffee per tree, annually, which will be worth, free of all expense, twenty cents the first year for each tree, and thus repay the entire outlay.
One of the incidents of travel in this country has been encountered to-night, by finding a bicho or chigre embedded in one of my toes. A little darkey was called to identify the parasite; and a “tropeiro” extracted it, with the nidus complete, making a very nice operation.
Leaving our pleasant associations at Nova Fazenda this morning, we came in company with Dom Queiroz and Captain Feliciana to the residence of Senor João Franco da Morars. He had a most sumptuous breakfast in readiness for us, which was enjoyed very much after our ride of six miles across the country.
Setting out after 10 o’clock, we rode over the land which this gentleman proposes to sell. The extensive tract of Babylonia is connected at one point with the land upon which he resides. The former consists of ten thousand and two hundred (10,200) acres, and the latter of three thousand (3,000) acres, making together thirteen thousand two hundred (13,200) acres of land.
The body of land known as Babylonia consists of the possessions of a number of persons, as follows:
João Franco da Morars, 3,540 acres; José da Lacerda Guimarans, 3,600 acres; Aranjo Lima, 420 acres; José Goncalves, 840 acres; José Estivão, 780 acres; Prudenta, 540 acres; José Ignacio, 252 acres; Bento Ribeiro, 252 acres; and the residence of João Franco da Morars, 3,000 acres.
Price of lands in Babylonia, $4.50 per acre.
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.
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.
Captain Feliciana is a plain, unassuming, genteel person, who has manifested his regard for us by going the entire round with us since leaving his own premises, and though over fifty-five years of age, he manifests considerable activity in exploring the country, and has really been of much service to us in communicating information of this region.
Dom Queiroz speak a little English, and relieved my embarrassment by the gentleness and urbanity of his bearing towards me during our sojourn at his house and our association subsequently. When I bade him good-bye, he said, in terms that required premeditation, with his limited use of English, “If I can be of any service to you at any time, call upon me. You will find me here, ready to serve you; and I am at your orders.”
Under other circumstances, this might have been viewed as a mere passing remark; but, having found him so unassuming in his hospitality previously, this kindness manifested at our parting was highly appreciated.
Our host, Senor Franco, has manifested the greatest generosity in supplying our wants, and also in providing for our animals and attendants.
He had a very interesting daughter, who had met us at the outset in the dining-room, and at each meal subsequently, causing us to take quite an interest in her dignified management during the indisposition of her mother. When we were ready to leave the house, Mr. Bennaton asked for her, and we shook hands with her, and gave her our best wishes at parting.
Senor Franco said that I would come with my friends to live amongst them, if I knew how much gratification it would afford the people of the country.
He kindly sent a negro man with us, to pilot the road, and we reached the residence of Senor Maj. Joaquim Roberto de Silveira at 4 o’clock P. M.; we got dinner promptly, but there being no corn on the place for our stock, he sent off to a neighbor, and after some hours procured only half a bushel, which affords but half a feed for night and morning.
He has recently settled this place, and has not yet made a crop of corn, which explains very satisfactorily his deficiency; but it was supposed that others in the neighborhood would have made a crop of corn, and could have responded to his call in a larger quantity than he procured. In asking him to procure the corn, Mr. Bennaton expected to pay for it, but he would receive nothing for it, and accommodated us, as all have done, in the true spirit of hospitality.
This section of country presents an admixture of campo and forest lands; the former being a light, sandy, barren waste; while the latter vary considerably in quality. Most of the woodland seen to-day was near the premises of our host, and though it looked as if cotton might be grown advantageously, there was a large element of sand, which predisposed it to wash, when there was much irregularity of surface. It had a dark gray aspect, and corresponded more to the character of soil seen in some parts of South Carolina than any land yet seen in Brazil, and may produce equally well.