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 stertoscopic views of this region, begun on this excursion 

 and completed during cur absence in the North of Brazil. 



