64 A JOURNEY IN BRAZIL. 



Mariano Procopio Ferreira Lage, a native of the province 

 of Minas Geraes. This province is said to be remarkable 

 for the great energy and intelligence of its inhabitants, 

 as compared with those of the adjoining provinces. Per- 

 haps this may be owing to its cooler climate, most of its 

 towns lying among the highlands of the Serras, and en- 

 joying a fresher, more stimulating air than those nearer 

 the sea-coast. Before undertaking the building of this 

 road, Senhor Lage travelled both in Europe and America 

 with the purpose of learning all the modern improvements 

 in works of a similar character. The result bears testimony 

 to the energy and patience with which he has carried out 

 his project.* Twelve years ago the only means of going 

 into the interior from Petropolis was through narrow, 

 dangerous, broken mule-tracks, and a journey of a hundred 

 miles involved a difficult ride of three or four days. Now 

 one travels from Petropolis to Juiz de Fora between sunrise 

 and sunset over a post-road equal to any in the world, 

 changing mules every ten or twelve miles at pretty little 

 stations, built somewhat in the style of Swiss chalets, 

 each one of which is a settlement for the German colonists 

 who have been induced to come out as workmen on the 

 road. This emigration in itself is a great advantage to 

 the country ; wherever these little German villages occur, 

 nestled down among the hills, there are the neat vege- 

 table and flower gardens, the tidy houses, the general 

 aspect of thrift and comfort, so characteristic of the better 

 classes of the German peasantry. Nominally no slaves are 



* A commemorative tablet, set in the rocks on the dividing line between 

 the provinces of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Geraes, recording the speech 

 of the Emperor on the occasion of the opening of the road, testifies the 

 appreciation in which this undertaking was held by the government of Brazil. 



