102 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 
our luggage, two large coaches were provided, several mules, 
and a small carriage, while a travelling photographic ma- 
chine, belonging to Senhor Machado, who is an admirable 
photographist, brought up the rear.* The day was beauti- 
ful and our road lay along the side of the Serra, command- 
ing fine views of the inland country and the coffee planta- 
tions which covered the hillsides wherever the primeval 
forest had been cut down. The road is another evidence 
of the intelligence and energy of the proprietor. The old 
roads are mere mule tracks up one side of the Serra and 
down the other, gullied of course by all the heavy rains 
and rendered at times almost impassable. Senhor Lage 
has shown his neighbors what may be done for their 
comfort in a country life by abandoning the old method, 
and, instead of carrying the road across the mountain, 
cutting it in the side with so gradual an ascent as to 
make the ride a very easy one. It is but a four hours' 
drive now from Juiz de Fora to the fazenda, whereas, 
until the last year, it was a day's, or even in bad weather 
a two days' journey on horseback. It is much to be desired 
that his example should be followed, for the absence of any 
tolerable roads in the country makes travelling in the 
interior almost an impossibility, and is the most serious 
obstacle to the general progress and prosperity. It seems 
strange that the governments of the different provinces, 
at least of the more populous ones, such as Minas Geraes 
and Rio, should not organize a system of good highways 
for the greater facility of commerce. The present mode 
of transportation on mule back is slow and cumbrous 
* Mr. Agassiz was indebted to Senhor Machado for a valuable series of 
photographs and stereoscopic views of this region, begun on this excursion 
and completed during c, ur absence in the North of Brazil. 
