New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-24
GLIMPSES OF. BRAZIL.
VII.
SUBURBAN PROSPECTS AND STREET SIGHTS


TOWN pALAcE-scENEs IN.THE oUvIDoR
"A TOUCH OF PARTISAN LIFE
rvpou ct ,YF CORRESPONDENT OF TIE 1RIBUNRl
Rio, December 80.
ho fret olimnsc of Rio is disappointing, but
,harn ;s IN afterqlow Of enthusiasm. The old
town lies on a level plain between two ranges oil
high hills Castle Antonio and Santa Thereza
on one side, and BentO and Livramento on the
other. The streets are narrow. even the Ouvidor
heinc hardly more than a paved lane, and the
facades of shops and the more ambitious granite
and marble churches and public buildings are not
imnressiye. 1t is not until the traveller has
name about among the suburbs that his enthusl-
osm is excited Then Rio takes complete posses
sion of the ina gination and remains a JOY forever
in memory
The street-cars here are known as bonds a
term loosely attributed 10 Yankee origin, the lrsC
railways having been introduced from AmeIlc"
and heavily bonded. Mr.. LamaureuA states 'l"U
the cars were originally known as "Naccas ue
leite" (milch-cowsl because the mules drawing
them carried BELLS but that bond became
popular substitute, the tickets being cOhlou"ucu
with the bonds Of the first internal loan ISSue"
about that time. Whatever may have peeu 'nc
origin of the name, the bond is lndlspehs1oe "
comfort and even TO life in Rio In the neat VI
the DAY walking is very dangerous, ana inc us
,ances to the suburbs are so great tlaO e'oiS
business man is dependent upon the sueevc"t'
There is on inclined railway. by wlch '0e lively
rosidorcc district of Santa ThcTeza is approached
and the Corcovado is assembled by hisseho"on
railway. The bond connects every suburb with
the heart of the city, and IS almost inc ohiS
vehicle seen in the streets. Carriages are seldom
-lo1
costing a drive in a coach. My dear sir, my
friend replied, ave have have few milllonalieS
in Brazil. l congratulate you upon being one,
bnt will LET YOU of with paying my fare in
tram-carn When / subsequently asccrtalneo
the rates of coach hire, was grateful to him Tor
his forbearance
Ono Of The first excursions which traveller
makes in Rio is to the Botanical Garden and he
returns with impressions Of the beauty of the
suburban scenery which can never be eiiaced
from his memory. 1t is a ride of seven miles from
tho Onyidor The car passes between Antonio
and CASTILLO hills to the beautiful Passelo PuDIlco
or public garden and terraces along the water
front: and thence beyond the lofty arches OF the
Carioca Aqueduct 10 BOtofOgo, a long distance
from ST. Thereza and Gloria hills. Along 'he
route are nearly all the hotels of the CITY, ana
many of the most beautiful and artistic residences
Among the latter are the Palacete Corneho, a
spacious Italian house on one hoor ana WIN d
lovely garden behind it, and the more costly
Nova Friburgo mansion built OF carved follu-
cuese stone and marble. The Praio de Botofogo'
with the bay directly III front, encircled by noun
tains and hills is one OF the finest avenues Ill
South America The handsomest blocks OF resi-
dences to he seen in Rio are found along this
long semi-circular street, commanding views OF
Botofogo Bay. the Sugar Loaf and the coast
scenery. OFF the entrance to the harDor sharp
turn is made down the coast with sugar LOAF
behind. Corcovado with its massive granite
buttresses and towering crown on the n2ht ana
the lofty Gavea Mountain directly III
front This is the finest coast scenery
TO be seen in Brazil. A wide lagoon with At
ribbon Of sand dividing il from the Atlantic, en-
tends before the eye until the bases of two coast
mountains. the Dois Irmaos, shut in the view.
Opposite are the mountains of Tijuca, at the
highest point 1852 feet above the sea. ma
jestic and picturesque range. The GaVea, %,3' D
feet in height, still looms up in the distance as
the gates of the Botanical Garden are reached.
The Valley of the Palms IS q sca-leVel completely
surrounded by towering mountain peaks
The chief glory of the Botanical Garden is
the roadway of royal palms stretching In unbroken
lines nearly across the grounds, with two ave-
nues along the front The three avenues form
a symmetrical letter r. the top stroke represent
ing the two front rows of palms, and the lower
stroke the main line of majestic trees. Hun
dreds of feet overhead these nonarchs OF the
South American forest shake out their ragged
feather plumes. The trunks are smooth, white
capitals, vivid green toward the top. lhey
stand in double files like a regiment OF 1OIes'
giants on dress parade, the spaces between then
IL. 4 lt.ln oil .l
imposing and beautiful The older veterans, Tho
mountains encamped around them, seem to be
surveying, with weathcr-beaten visages, the evo
buttons of these royal palms, and in their Tranquil
manner 10 be commencing them for their soldier
like appearance. At the centre Of the long double
file is a fountain, from which avenues of les
commanding trees open in every direction. Oh
the northern side there cumpS Of mangueiras
or mangoeS, with their gnarled and TWISTED
trunks and growing, dense foliage, OneIlnl
the strongest possible contrast 10 the palms. II
the rear OF the garden there is Ticket Of BAN
boos OF every variety known in South America
Some of the clumps have thousands Of cane
growing from the common root. And the tip
are interlocled and run together 50 as to form
a matted ceiling overhead. The rcedy bamboo
require wet soil and water is brought down iron
the mountains and let into the grove by sere
OF artificial cascades, and then distributed /
bikes. In the thckcts are artificial marshe
covered with white and red lilies of eXqulsit
beauty. There are few flowers IN tie Gardei
but every tree and shrub known III Brazil IS I
be found there The collection OF palms is on
Of extraordinary range and cannot be equalicd l
any other quarter Of the world. The Garden va
originally laid out eighty years ago and Stoke
with exotic plants and seeds For the last thirt
years it has been under the charge of an aelicu
tural society and has been greatly improved. lli
Treasury provides $4,000 year for it, maint,
nance and it is kept in perfect order withou
much additional expense.
The approach TO the Corcovado leads thfoug
Larangeiras, with brook running along tn