REPORT OF M. GUII.LEMIN. if 



Many were the influential persons at llio Janeiro, who gave 

 me introductory letters to the proprietors and Tea growers 

 of St Paul ; the family of M. Venancio Gomez wrote in my 

 favour to the governor of that province, who is their relation. 

 M, liiedel sketclied out a minute plan for my road, and the 

 objects chiefly worthy of my attention; and finally, M. T. 

 Grouz gave me a most striking instance of friendly conde- 

 scension, by quitting for some time his numerous patients, 

 that he might become my patron and interpreter witli tlie 

 influential personages to whom I was recommended. 



We started on the 15th of January, by steam-boat, and in 

 two days reached Santos, the principal port in the province 

 of St Paul ; thence crossing the great chain of mountains, 

 named the Serra do Mar, in caravans drawn by mules, we 

 reached the city of St Paul on the 20th January, where I 

 experienced the warmest reception from the Governor, two 

 ex-Governors, and some other gentlemen. The letters that 

 1 carried, dwelt especially on the fact, that my mission was 

 connected with no object that could be prejudicial to the 

 interests of Brazil, and that it was advisable to show all 

 friendliness towards the French nation, which had ever testi- 

 fied an amicable disposition towards foreigners, and Brazilians 

 in particular. Perceiving that my residence in this city 

 might be prolonged till the middle of February, I secured 

 apartments in the only hotel which it can boast : it is kept 

 by a Frenchman, who invariably treated me with all the 

 civility and attention due to a fellow-countryman. 



Accompanied by M. J. Gomez, and a M. Barandier, a 

 historical painter, whom the desire to visit a new country, 

 and to see its inhabitants, had induced to become my com- 

 pagnon de voyage, we visited almost immediately a M. Feijo, 

 ex-Regent of the Empire, and now President of the Provin- 

 cial Senate. We found this venerable ecclesiastic at his 

 country-house, two leagues distant from the city, and here 

 we saw all the processes pursued on the Tea leaf: commenc- 

 ing by the bruising, drying, and scorching of a large quantity 

 of foliage picked the preceding evening. The chief differ- 



Vol. III.— No. 17. c 



