The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-02-07

ton; while here and there steep
gabled houses and business structures
recall the quarter century Of Dutch
occupation that began ten years after
the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth
Rock.
Until few years ago, large ocean
going boats had to anchor far out in
the harbor. Up-to-date docks were
constructed, and railroads were built,
reaching into the productive hinter-
land. AS result Pernambuco has be-
come in a short time one of the i'm
portant gateways to eastern Brazil.
Sugar, tobacco, lumber, fruit, cot
ton, rubber and coffee that once
graced the backs Of miles now flow
into the city by rail in vast quanti-
ties. More than forty sugar mills in
the capital city attest the states sug-
ar production. Textile mills, shoe,
soap, and lock factories are also
there.
Most of Pernambuco's business is
carried on in the old section that oc-
cupies the island. The city market,
perhaps, strikes the fancy of Ameri-
cans more than any other feature. An
abundance of rich, luscious tropical
fruit is everywhere to be seen. On
the ground are great piles Of pine
apples, alligator pears, melons and
mangoes of enormous size. In con-
trast to many South American mar
kets Pernambuco has no noisy vend-
ors.
Bahia Is the largest of Brazil's air
gateway cities. 1t was the first Portu-
guese settlement founded in Brazil.
According to the letters of Amerigo
Vespucci he and his followers spent
several months in All Saints bay in
the neighborhood of Bahia during the
early years Of the Sixteenth century.
Bahia was not officially recognized
by the Portuguese government, how
ever, until 1919 when the first gov
ernor general of Brazil set up a colo
NAL government there. Bahia was the
capital of Brazil from that time un-
til 1853 when the government was re-
moved to Rio de Janeiro.
While Rio de Janeiro and Sac Paulo
surpass Bahia in size. the old port,
which lies about 400 miles down the
coast from PernambucU, is thriving
commercial center with about 100000
inhabitants.
The harbor 1t faces is one Of the
finest on the east coast Of South
America. Vessels from many world
ports are anchored offshore while
smaller boats with local cargoes come
and go like schools of water beetles.
Bahia Built on Two Levels.
The travellers first impression OF
Bahia, as he sails up the harbor
toward the city, is that there are real
ly two separate towns. A congested
settlement hugs the shore line while
on a cliff in the background 200 feet
above the roof tops the fringe Of an
other settlement is visible.
In the narrow streets of the lowel
town and among the bordering ware
houses half-naked porters, perspiring
freely in the tropical heat, spend their
days moving cargoes of cocoa, tobac-
co, cotton, sugar, rubber and fruits.
all products Of Bahia state, brought
to the port by railroad trains and
high-wheeled donkey carts.
The customs house, depot and Of
fees of foreign firms interested in
Bahia commodities also are in the low
err town. Most of Bahia's cocoa, the
largest exportable product of Bahia
state, is shipped to the United States.
Upper Bahia is reached by eleva-
tors, steps and winding roads. Here
and there in the narrow streets of
this portion Of the city, sky blue and
delicate pink houses, some Of whose
plastered fronts are deeply pOck-
marked, take the traveller back a GEN.
fury or two in Bahia's history. But
within stones throw Of these dis
tricts there are wide modern thor
oughfares, lined with fine shops,
banks, theaters, Office and government
buildings. A park or garden now
and then breaks the monotony Of the
solid rows Of masonry.
OF the 100000 inhabitants of Bahia
about two-thirds are negroes. Some
are pure-blooded negroes, some are a
mixture Of Portuguese and Indian,
and Indian and negro. Here are the
blacklist Of black faces and this shade
tapers Off to a white. In fact many
natives are recognized as negroes only
by their large black eyes and thick
lips. The first slaves from Africa were
landed in Bahia and slave trading
was carried on until 1883.
In Bahia the mulatto maidens, with
erect, well-built bodies wrapped in
gailys colored cloth, gold chains about
their necks, bracelets covering their
arms, and large rings hanging from
their ears, gracefully stride through
the streets under such burdens as bas-
kets of clothes and pans of sweet
meats perched on their heads.
There are other native women who
prefer voluminous skirts of printed
cloth, and low-necked, short-sleeved
blouses over which brightly-colored
shawls are thrown. Red handkerchiefs
are knotted about their heads. Their
calloused, unshod feet do not smart
on the roughly paved side streets.