Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-05-02
Dr.. CASTOR reports that afsor overcoming ibs

DR.. GastOn reports that aftor overcoming fhs
difficulty Of passing tho mountains, and the dan
gers and fatigue incident .tbsrelo. he russbedhis
Investigations in the direction of Isuape sands
cnnnnnoa, and found large bodies Of public lands:
zshleh;althoagbs snstso rirh as:th
OF The interior, 5ee producing largo crops soil
corp, ;sngar cane. ice, fobssso ssna. in some H.
stances, c"irses Thefsw days he repained thefs,
thssweath Of WIS pfestan., and ths sper'ation
easy and cheap, costing less Than one halfsef the
price from tbSfintefior. He thinks it healshsri
except on ths5watcrseourscs, and the price of tho
lands is only:fwent5;fwo cts per acre, onA credit
of fivo years without interest. Several families
from Alabammand Texas have, already settled
there. We hope this section may be as desirable
as the Doctor imagines, for It is Immediately on
ono of the routes to seaport, from the exceed
ingly fertile Districts described aboyer end the
imrrovemcnts,of its territory, will assist in the
settlement of the other. The river lgu"pe is
navigable for steamboats, MS far mp as Aircrlcn,
distant from the District we have chosen, about
one hundred miles, but unlike the Tiete. its nayi-
CATION ia uninterrupted by falls and shoals.
We deem it our duty to state, that the price of
negroes has decreased ono half during our stay
in the Empire. 1T is said that the outside senti
ment Is the cause. AT any rnte all classes agree,
thu. the day is not distant when emancipation
must come. We have heard Of some ganga Of
negroes including men, women and children, be-
ing offered BY the year for fifty dollars each,
though the usual price is from sixty to hundred
and twenty. For plantation hands, the birer pays
oil expenses.
The law requires the purchasers of lands to
pay-six per leash, one time, on their prime cost
as tax to the government. With this exception,
the farmer, we believe, never pays any tax du-
ring lite. Weiwil also mention, that il is thought
by we'll informed persona, that this small burden
will soon bo removed from all immigrants.
The health of the table lands of this Province,
is represented by the native and foreigner very
yood, with the exception of the fats md low.
grounds near the larger rivers, which are sub
jsct to cLills and intermittent fevers. few spe-
ciGc diseases, as G0itro and Leprpsy are seen.
Casos of tho latter appear but seldom, though
. considerable number Of the former are observed
among the poorer clasaes 1t is thought general
ly to be produced by poor diet, damp houses DC.
The temperature also throughout the table lands,
notwithstanding we were there during the sum-
mer months, varies from Sc to $50 in the shade.
During winter, it varies generally, we understand
from 40 to $50, though sometimes it comes down
to tac freezing point producing Ice. ,'e'
In Santos. the seaport of this. Province, about
forty.fv miles from the table lands, and about
three thousand feot lower, the mercuary varied:
during the years 1859 and 64, from 67.f 20. s3.a,
viz: January S3.a, February So, March 70, April
IT'S, May IS. $, June 60, July 67.l, August 67.5,
September 7O.3, October 7l.G, November 74.6,
| December 7S.2.
The principal objections to the country ore, the
language, Portuguese, the mixed class of its popu-
laton, ard the want Of proper facilities for edu'
cation and transportation, though it appcors from
ell the facts VIC could gather, that there is steady
improvement in tho two latter objections.
Thi, report would be incomplete and unsatis
factory, if concluded without statement Of the
fprices, particularly for tho necessarics OF lifc
The cost then of clearing forest lands according
to the custom of the country, is fronf $i.5O to
81. 90 per acre. Horses, domesticated, can be
bought for from $50, to $40; unbroken, from SIS
to $50; mares, from SIS to $40 Jacks, from $50
to 500; pack mules, from S25 to. $50; riding
mules, from s4O to $50 /; unbroken in lots, from
s12 to SIS; fat hogs Weighing two hundred
pounds each, from SIS to So; breeders and pigs,
in proportion Sheep from $3.50 to $500, infe-
rior .nd scarce; goats, from 81 to So; milk COVE,
III T5ts; rom So to STU; single ST to SO; oxen
fat, from Sl2 to $40; work oxen from 70 to $40 /;
corn usually from so to IS cts., though during
this summer, there has been great scarcity,
caused by drouth, during last season, said to
bc the first for nearly twenty years. We paid
from rs cts to $500 por bushcl. Deans are worth
from 81 to S125 per bushsl rico from 81 to s. (;
coffee from I 10 10 cts per ID; leather from So to
IS, per side; sugar from to cts.; rum from
25 to 30 cts per gallon; bananas, lines and
lemons from to ct. each: oranges from ] to
ct. each, and pineapples abundant, vnd in season
from to cts. each.
The above are the prices furnished usaby citi-
zons in the interior. In the larger Towns, mos,
of these products, particularly fruit, nrc much
higher.
The religion of the State is Catholic, though
all others ore tolerated, still Protestant is al
lowed to build o steeple or place Cross on his
Church. Should ever our people be disposed to
mmigrate to Brazil, it is OF the utmost imp"r
taucc that there should be concert of action
.mong them. If they contemplate going in any
considerable numbers, preliminary arrangements
should bs made for shekcr and subsistence. and
I'll of them should settle within reasonable die
tance of one another. II this important consid-
Grafton is lost sight Of, many will, it is feared,
become diSsatfod for the want Of proper associa-
ton, neighbors &C., and the result will be, that
they will have to move to other American settle
ruents, or be merged; in a short tina, in the for
.isn clement by which they will be surrounded.
few families, or few dozen families can fEd
am; c subsistence and sholtcr in most of the set
dement's visited by us, but if more than these
aroposc to settle far in the interior, at the same
time, VIC would advise them in order to avoid dis
appointment and distress, to make ample prepara-
ion before doing so. Notwithstanding We utter
heas words of caution, the citizens assure US
that they will have plenty to sobaist very
large number of immigrants, and in some
cases have offered, with that geherosity pecu-
liar to the first class of Brazlians, to divide
half their substance with US, without COM
punsation. This offer includes corn, sugar
coffee. rice &c. Flour cannot be had in the in
teyior, as there is.no whca.s grown in St.. Paalo
though We understand; that at one 'time- wheat |
-. o.. ..aost rro,,