THE VIRGIN FOREST 



the hill-girt city the train crosses a swampy plain, the Baixada, and 

 then comes to the foot of the range, the "Raiz da serra," from which 

 one can travel by one line to Petropolis, by another to Therezopolis, 

 and by a third to Novo Friburgo. Each line has first to climb to the 

 top of the range, the "Alto da serra," for the three cities lie behind it. 



These three journeys are all delightful : for one thing, because 

 it grows cooler every minute, as the carriages — which are pushed 

 up the slope singly — rise very quickly above the level of the plain. 

 At the foot of the range the Borboletas bloom like lilies, and the 

 scent of these lovely zingiberaceous^ flowers invades the carriage. 

 Before us the steep wall of the range rises to a height of 3,000 feet 

 and more. Now, as we climb, sharp and jagged ridges appear, then 

 a lofty cone, and projecting masses of rock; every moment some 

 fresh formation appears, and the rocks and peaks increase in size 

 as the carriage proceeds. And the slopes of all the hills are green 

 with the overflowing forest. 



This, of course, is not the virgin forest, but the capoeira, as the 

 Brazilians call the growth which springs up after a forest is felled. 

 It is already a magnificent woodland, and there are lofty trees in it, 

 but anyone familiar with the country will recognize the capoeira 

 instantly by the Imbaubas, to be seen on every hand, with their 

 umbrella-shaped or chandelier-like crowns of large lobated leaves, 

 which look as though dusted with chalk, since the hairs on the 

 leaves reflect the sunlight. The Imbaubas are found only in young 

 woodlands ; under the tall trees of the forest they are stifled, but 

 after a clearing has been made they spring up in such profusion 

 that at first sight they remind one of an artificial plantation. 



On the slopes of the range the woods seem strewn with the panicles 

 of the azalea-like Lent-flower, Flor de quaresma, of every shade from 

 violet to wine-red ; the blossoms of a bush or tree which owes its 

 name to the fact that its lovely flowers are in bloom during Lent. 

 Their leaves are so decorative in design that they almost seem to 

 be geometrical works of art ; the ribs of the leaf are connected by 

 equally-spaced lateral veins, and they are often covered with silky 

 hairs, or even pricked out with red. 



The journey to Therezopolis is the most beautiful of the three ; 

 here the forest is in better preservation; the trees grow taller and 

 taller; beside the track are whole groups of tree-ferns with their 

 huge and yet delicately intricate fronds ; streams roar down among 

 the rocks, breathing coolness into the carriage, and suddenly, 



» Of the ginger family. 



71 



