New-York tribune., 1886-11-07
DOM pEDRO'S EMPIRE.
..,,,,r,vo ,1vnrR DIFFICULTIEs.

TH0uSAND
fuEhE plo d Japeiro to Maranhao. BY JAMES W;
Wra1s. NJ iSst G E.. r. r. @. 8 Illustrations ase ana
PniIat ephia: J. b. Lipp'ncost Company
The autnor of this work 10 an English civil en-
.;n.ar who was employed for many years in the
survev of railway routes in Brazil His duties leu
him into and through many practically unknown
regions of that vast and little explored country
and while he was initiated into all the m'ser,eS
and discomforts which surround travei In tue
tropics and perhaps TO an unusual extent in ni"~'
he also gained a thorough knowledge OF the ma
t;ona characteristics aud of the resources OF the
empire. Mr. Wells spent seven years IN the eAp'o-
ratons and surveys an account of which he gi'es
&, these two handsome and carefully lilnstr"'e"
,volues but his narrative does not pIesenn Vo oo "
precise story of all that happened curing '.''
time He explains that for the sake oil unity ho
has given the history of journeys when rea"y
orcnpied several years as though they had lormeu
uarts Of one continuous expedition. lne piah was
a good one and it certainly maintains the interest,"
of the recital.
Brazil as described by Mr.. Wells. is country Vi
magnificent possibilities. hut negative PERFORM
onces II is fertile to prod gality where nature
has been aided, bat the Incidence Oh tne peop'' 10
so ipyeterate that they cannot rise above par
r;s,p nor in many parts above savagery. Two
Thirds of the Emrire has never been detoresteo'
The rivers. aowing for ages through ailuviai re-
oions an rece wing vegetable deposits from 'iio
decayipg forests have become shallow ana some
what slnggish in many parts OF 'he inVei'o'' ~
anrinr the rains overflow their banks ana mum
date extensive areas, leaving all the conu'ons oi
malaria when they subsIde and producing Eio''
deaf of disease and mortality. The ma'"'o'S vi
.,s.nts like the people of all favored lands CON
fine their industry to cultivating Dare'y eho"s" "
snhsistepce The labor question is a serious one
will
soon as they have earned enough for few weeks
d;ssna,on and as they have ambition 10 ac
ouire property il is impossible to persuade theih
into more energetic and perseverng ways Inc
resources ot Brazil are so abundant that were '"0
people industrious the country would III nan
century become one of the richest IN tno "o'Iu'
But il is a law of progress Mat where the conu'-
tions are most ia yorabe to production human en-
ercv is least manifested. The Indictment oil an ad-
verse environment is apparently needed 10 ehct
The force of will which conGuers natural Obstacles
and cultivates at once capacity for growth IN all
directions and an acquisitlveness which knows no
bonnds The soil of Brazil when tickled with
hoe laughs with harvest; bnt the Brazilians have
no desire to possess bursting barns, and they stop
farming when the present is provided fcr Inc
agricultural class is sunk in lethargv ana lgno-
rance and the inhabitants of the interior villages
are but half alive. Nothing can De drearier than
these hamlets. The principal storekeeper is usn-
ally found asleep on his cOnnter. Half the inhaol-
tsnts are louDgiug in hammosks. When stranger
arrives ne at once surrounded by an evi-smell-
ing crowd and stared at by lacklustre eyes, While
his points are discussed iu lazy drawl as though
lie were horse. After reading dozen such de-
scriptons one seems to be GONG through sort Of
dream country Every body is balf-asleep. Every
thing is neglected. The men and women are frowzy
and filthy. The childrcn naked and hlthy
The houses are little better than pigsiies. The
land is uncultivated. The roads are unmaie Ide
people who have planted themselves in malarous
regions are too lazy to move, but loaf and grow
yellow and cadaverous with ague.
Yet il is evident that the Braziliaus have good
dispositions on the whole. The average matafor Is
given to use his knife on small provocaton. and
he is fond of the national whiskoy, called cachdcd ;
but he does not often exceed. and he is for the
most part frank hospitabie. amiable honest and
truthful. Of. course he is supersttious, and his
relieion is a mere thing of ceremonial Tins he
holds it no sin to kill fellow creature. but very
wrong to omit prayers. But he shares these views
with people generally held to be much higher in
the ale of civilization for example, the lower
classes of Italy and Spain If he could be cured Of
his laziness there would be future for him. but
the possibility of such reform is yet to be deter
mined The railroad is doing something for him by
the empire holds together another century, and
transportation is pushed steadily real progress
may he made. Dom Pedro has doue all in his
power to improve the general conditions, but the
lstlessne and apathy of the interior popula ion
are thus far proof against all temptations to
activity.
In such a country the natural difficulties OF
travel and exploration are practically those OF a
wild territory Mr. Wells had to lines for his
survey aud often this was heart t-breaking work.
Lanes had at times to be chopped through the
priineval forest where the underground formed a
hedge impenetrable save by the hatchet. Trees,
too had to be cut down aud it was mostly hard
wood timber. While eng aged the surveyor and
his men were exposed to the ferocious assaults of
all manner of insect pests some of these burrowed
in the flesh, deposited eggs which hatched out and
caused liberated sores of long standing, while
other species drove their probes through the thick
est clothing into the flesh OF their Victims and left
behind them in the wound poison enough to keep
the Iesiduary legatee well stirred for time.
Add to this exposure to malaria, which necessitated
the use of Quinine as a regular article of diet and
the prevalence of about a of species of venom
Gus snakes-not to speak of boa constructors said
to be capable of swallowing Oh. and mos1ui toes
of a steeI-blue color whose bite was maddenine-
and it will be realized that the Brazilian engineers
lot is not altogether or always a happy one.
Even these Gisagreeabes, moreover were at
times exceeded. as for instance during Mr.. Wellss
descent of the Rio do SOmno. Here Natures pro-
vision for the uninterrupted entertainment of the
traveller was most complete He was greeted, on
awakening, by clouds of sand flies, possessing the
pleasant habit Of inficting bites each of which
drew a drop of blood. The seat of the bite also
turned black and remained so several days. while
the torment of the sting was much more than that
of the common mosquito. Lest this kind of thing
should become monotouous periodical irruptons
pf hornets occurred. and they efectually pre-
rented the voyagers from becoming torpid. The
iiver itself was clear and warm. and seemed made
fer bathing in but its peucid waters swarmed
with piranhas, cheerful fish with face like