216 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



a Brazilian lady, her daughter, and an English engineer, 

 Mr. A. Welby, who, as I subsequently learnt, is working 

 on a proposed prolongation of this railway, which is to 

 extend some fifty miles further. Our dinner-table looked 

 desolate, as it was "muita comprida" (very long) and 

 elaborately decorated, but with only a lamp .or two at one 

 end for the four guests who at present are staying here. 

 Petropolis is quite empty now, being the depth of winter. 



July 23. A cloudy morning, but warm and pleasant ; 

 so I went for a stroll through the village before breakfast, 

 and then round the hotel garden, where camellias, azaleas, 

 arums, roses, and geraniums were mingled with cactuses 

 and other tropical plants and flowers. 



Before describing my day's walks, I must say a few 

 words about the town. 



Petropolis, or the city of Peter, is so named because 

 it owes its foundation and development to the Emperor 

 Pedro II. It is situate 803 metres (2634 feet) above 

 the sea, and is the summer residence of the Emperor, 

 Empress, and Royal Family, and of the foreign diplomatic 

 circle. It possesses five hotels, besides restaurants, six 

 colleges and schools, three musical clubs, and numerous 

 other noteworthy buildings, besides having a complete 

 system of telegraphs and telephones ; and it issues two 

 journals, one bi-weekly O Mercantil, one weekly O Arauto, 

 each of which costs 100 reis, or 2d. 



Many merchants and others live up here, journeying to 

 and from Rio de Janeiro every day since the railway, 

 Principe do Grao Para, has been opened. This mountain 

 railway was begun August I, 1881, and opened in 1883. 



Petropolis is supposed to be one of the healthiest 

 localities in the world, and it is certainly a unique and 

 beautiful spot, with great variety of scenery. There are 



