The Republican journal., 1904-10-27

/
was nearly demolished by lombard
ment.
| Just below San Bento Hill, on the
right hand side, are the busy shipyards
of the marine and arsenal, and on the
| left the long line of enormous stone
| houses belonging to the Dom Pedro II.
| docks. These are the most important
of the city's public works. The COM
pany that owns the big storehouses
enjoys a monopoly in the matter of
shipping coffee, though but small
portion of it is done directly from pier
to vessel. Beyond these quays is an
enormous dry-dock cut out of solid
rock. The first island on the left is
Santa Barbara, which is used for hos
pital purposes during frequent epidem-
les of smallpox. The scenery becomes
more varied and charming, the islands
too numerous to be named, and ones
attention is continually attracted from
the peculiar grouping of the heights
behind the city to the massive peaks of
the Sierra das Orgoas in front.
The boat passes close to Governors
Island, which is one vast plantation
twelve miles long by about six wide,
with two OF three little villages upon
it and a population approximating
1000. \ little farther is Paqueta
Island, covered with beautiful villas
"a favorite summer residence of bust
ness men who cannot afford the extra
time and money required for Petropo-
lis. We have only twelve miles by
water and make it in an hour Then
we enter train at the Maua landing
pier and steam, bump, jolt away in the
short, old fashioned cars over ten miles
of sWampy country, brilliant with
manyhue orchids and the tlame-col-
ored leaves of the Flower of Lent tree,
to the foot of Sierra. This famous but
most uncomfortable railway was built
about fifty years ago under conces-
sion to the Visconde de Maua; hence
its name; and in 1883 it was sold to the
Princepo do Grao Para Company.
At point called Ria da Sierra, the
present site of the government powder
mills, the train is broken up into sec
lions for the ascent. 1t is operated by
the Riggindack system for four or five
miles over the steepest grades. The |
altitude attained is about 5000 feet, and |
so ancient and uncomfortable |
the road is really creditable piece of |
engineering. 1t follows the outline of
the valley and the old macadamized /
road, and near the summit is viaduct |
so feet high and 1877 feet long, which
makes ones hair stand on end to
cross. At all times of year the views
from the car windows are enchanting.
Looking far below one can see the steel
rails by which we have assembled
the heights like serpent, and spread
out like map is Rio de Janeiro twen-
ty-live miles away, the incompatible
bay, the low country between one
tangled mass of flowers and verdure,
the familiar peaks of Trjuca, Coraovade
and the sugar-loaf, bordered by the
ocean, stretching to the horizon on one
side, and sky-piercing peaks on the
other. Arrived at Petropolis station
one may almost imagine himself in
New York city, so beset is he by vocif-
erous hack-drivers. There are a num- +
Der of good hotels in the town. each of
which sends carriage to the station
for guests. PetropOis is built i'll a
large, broken valley, in that part OF the
Organ mountains known as the Sierra
da Estrella.
II is barely 5000 feet above the sea,
yet SO cool and bracing is the atmos-
phere that mornings and evenings a
wood fire is welcome, and light blank
ct is needed on the bed at night-while
the orange groves are golden with
fruit and flowers riot everywhere.
Its population varies with the time
Of year, from about 5000 regular in
nabitants to perhaps 10000 during 1.-The
,tdSOu. luIOuRl tll6 uluSU Oh LD6
town runs a river, the Pladanha, Dor
lered by two rows of willow trees out
lining carriage-drives on either side
and fringed with dropping lilies whose
great white flowers perfume the air.
1t is a shallow stream, now ripping
quietly along its deep artificial channel;
out they tell us that after one night of
rain during the wet season it often
oursts all bounds and overtlows the
roads for miles. Other pretty nouns
tain streams, shaded by trees and
fringed with flowers, ripple through
the irregularly built-up streets of the
village and add much to it's romantic
beauty. There are some very hand
some residences, and many that are
more unique than beautiful, while
yaily painted country houses are
slowed away in romantic hooks of the
adjacent hills and valleys. In the
centre of the town is the palace of the
late Emperor, a mass Of yellow wall
looming up amid beautiful surround
ngs of roses and lawns. 1t is neither