The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-01

The area Of Brazil rs about $500
200 square miles, larger than that OF
The United States, and more than dou-
biz thst of India Most of its terri
tory is inha bited only by aboriginal
Indians, many OF them wild savages.
and a good deal is still practically un-
explored.
1t is geologiCallv one Of the oldest
parts Of the South American CONT
rent The mountains which form Its
central nucleus stood where they
stand now long before the great vol
canoes II the Andes had been raised.
This mountain center OF the country
falls abruptly on the east Of the At
5antic. more gently on the west to-
wards the level ground in the mid
die Of the continent. II may he rough
iy described as an undulating plateau,
500 miles long by 800 broad, traversed
by various ranges which are seldom
of great height.
The scenery OF their richly wooded
eastern side. where they break down
steeply towards the Atlantic. Is as
beautiful as can be found anywhere
In the tropics. They are continued
northward and southwark in lower
hills. and on the west subside gently,
sometimes in a succession of broad
terraces, into a vast plain. only slight
w raised above sea level In this
iii touches Paraguay and Bolivia.
The inland regions, both highlands
and plains. are less humid and. there
fore less denseiy wooded than Ia the
line Of mountains which faces the At
iantic, the climate steadily growing
drier IA one goes inland from the
rAin-giving ocean. Large parts OF
them are believed 20 be fit only for
ranching.
A Vast Tropical Wilderness.
There remains another and still
larger region which lies In the north
west part OF the republic. / mean the
vast plain OF the Amazon and its tribu
taries II is the so-cafied Selvas, or
woodland country, covered every
where by dense forest and for part
of the year so flooded by the tropical
rains which raise Its rivers above their
banks that much Of IL can be traversed
only In boats. Except for a few white
Settlements here and there, its sole
Inhabitants are the unciviiiZed Indian
tribes, of whom there may be several
hundred thousands in all, a number
very small when compared to the
space over which they are scattered.
The reader Will have gathered that
the whole eastern part of Brazil Is
mountainous or undulating, with here
and there wide valleys. All Of this
country is valuable either for cuIti-
walton for pasture, or for timber. and
III contains rich mines The western
part and the whole plain Of the Anna
zon and its tributaries is practically
quite fiat, and most Of IL is forest
wilderness. TIL ough there are SOME
arid districts along the coast north
and south Of the mouth of the ANA
zon there are nowhere in Brazil such
deserts as those which cover SO large
space in Peru. Bolivia. Chile and
Argentina The only parts that are as
yet comparatively well peopled are the
coast strip and the fertile valleys de-
touching on that stripe some inland
districts in the State OF Minas Geraes
dying north of Rio Janeiro), and
in the southern States OF Sac Paulo
Santa Catharina. and Rio Grande dc
Eui Even in these the population
IL still far below the capacities OF
the copntry-
An Old Nest of Yellow Fever.
When at last our steamer tfrom
Montevideo, capital of Uruguay
rounding lofty cape. turned her prov
Shoreward TO enter the harbor OF
Santos fsoIne 200 odd miles below
Rio JaneiroJ. how unlike was the
Landscape TO any which we had seen
since passing the Equator at thf
northern extremity of Peru. All dowr
the west coast there had been most
iy barren coast, with cold gray clouds
over q cold grey sea But here n
last were the tropics. Here was the
region Of abundant and luxuriant veg
etahle, a soft moist air and sea OF
vivid blue with the strange thin
bodied, long winged frigate birds how
ering above 1t.
Moving slowly up the winding
channel into smooth water. we found
many British and German ships lying
at the wharyes. for the harbor has
now been so deepened as to admit
-
accompanied by draining operations,
lave made the place reasonably
healthy.
Twenty years ago II was nest Of
yellow fever. ] was told that once,
during an inroad of that plague, for
ty-three British ships were lying idle
sn the river with their crews all dead
or dying. Now the disease has prac-
ticaIly disappeared, and the port is
one 81 the busiest in South America,
since II is the exporting center for
fhe produce Of the vast coffee coun-
try which lies inland. All day long,
and during the night. TOO. at some sea-
SOUS, m endless string OF stalwart
rnrterg may be seen carrying sacks
OF corse from the railroad cars on
the wharf TO the ships lying along
side.
A Remarkable Railway.
Such q, :rade gives plenty OF tramc
10 the railway which connects the
coffee planting interior and the thriv-
ing city of Sac Paulo with the sea
1t is quite a remarkable railway.
There lies behind this part of thu
Brazilion coast a plateau. here ayerag
ing from $500 TO 5000 feet in height
which breaks down abruptly TO thu
sea TO reach the plateau from tn
fats al sea level ii was necessary Il
ascend some 2.5o0 feet, and this hat
table done in a distance OF about 81,
miles. which means an average grad
lent OF about per cent from the bot
tom 10 the top OF the slope The iin'
has accordingly been constructed In |
series Of Ave inclines, on which TN
trains are worked by wire-rope haul
age, each incline having its owl
power-house and hauiage plant, ant
safety being secured not only by IN
.'locomotive brake" which is attached
as last car to each ascending AM
descending train, bu, also by the sim
infamous descent and ascent OF train
each way ans other devices too mum