PREFACE 



JL HE German title of this book is Das Antlitz Brasiliens — "The Face 

 of Brazil." The "face" of the country is its landscape, its flora, its 

 fauna: all that we include by the word "Nature." These things 

 constitute its most eloquent and impressive speech, and to those who 

 can hear it — and to them alone — the country reveals its greatest 

 beauty, and the intimate secrets of its being. 



He who wishes to derive both enjoyment and profit from a voyage 

 to Brazil must above all become intimate with the natural life of 

 the country. After all, what is it that he most of all wants to know? 

 He wants, I think, to know the name of those great scarlet flowers ; 

 and what sort of palms those are that overlook the housetops ; and 

 how one can best enjoy a sight of monkeys, parrots and humming- 

 birds. But as yet he has no conception of the wonders which are 

 revealed by an insight into the lives of the orchids and the insects ! 

 The best Brazilian "Baedeker" will therefore be a guide to the flora 

 and fauna of Brazil. And the task which the author has proposed 

 to himself in the writing of this book is to produce such a guide. 



But the glittering virgin forests, the sun-steeped wildernesses, the 

 sea-beaches overshadowed by rustling palm-trees, invariably offered 

 me, when I went forth each day with renewed expectation, so much 

 that was new and lovely and fascinating, that I very soon formed 

 the resolve to share what I had felt and seen with those for whom a 

 voyage to Brazil is impracticable. My own visit to that country 

 followed upon an invitation from the Government of the State of 

 Pernambuco ; my task was to combat the insects which were injuring 

 the plantations. My work led me first into the interior of the north- 

 eastern States, and later southwards, to Sao Paulo and Jahu. It not 

 only gave me an insight into all the branches of Brazilian agriculture 

 and colonization ; it led also to friendly intercourse with the Brazil- 

 ians, so that I was able to complete my description of the country 

 and its civilization by some account of the character and the customs 

 of its human inhabitants. 



This book, therefore, is based on my own personal experiences, 

 just as the illustrations in the text are sketches from my own pen, 

 while the photographs are enlargements from my own negatives (I 

 used a stereoscopic camera, the plates being 4-5 by 10-7 cm.). 

 But it has not been my aim to give a description of my travels. I 

 wish rather that my own experiences might enable me to transport 



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