GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES 17 



The altitude of this vast tableland has necessarily a great cooling 

 effect upon the temperature. 



Though Brazil is situated entirely in tropical and temperate 

 zones, the nights in the interior are always cool, and the atmosphere 

 is dry and bracing, contrary to the coastal districts where there is 

 always a certain amount of humidity. 



The rate of mortality per 1,000 is perhaps the best documentary 

 evidence of the healthy climate of Brazil and from the following 

 particulars it will be seen that the rate of mortality even in the coastal 

 towns compares favourably with many places in Europe : — 



The foreigners in Brazil from whom Europeans generally obtain 

 information are those engaged in commerce in the towns along the coast. 

 Their horizon is very limited because few have had the opportunity 

 and time to see the interior, for if ever they have a holiday they 

 return to Europe ; they are prone to generalise from the climatic 

 and other conditions of the coast as to the rest of Brazil with a 

 necessarily ^vrong result. In general, I must state that the informa- 

 tion conveyed to us by Europeans resident in Sao Paulo, Rio, etc., 

 as to certain parts of the interior has proved in almost every case 

 erroneous. There is a lamentable lack of true knowledge amongst 

 the European residents in the big cities as to conditions in the interior. 



With regard to its climate, Brazil may be divided into three zones. 

 The first zone occupies the region lying in the vicinity of the 

 Equator, and extends to the tenth degree of latitude south. 



The second zone reaches from the tenth degree of latitude south 

 to the tropic of Capricorn. 



The third zone lies between the tropic of Capricorn and parallel 

 33° 45", which is the southern limit of the Republic. 



The characters of each of these zones are as follows : — 



First zone : Mean temperature, 26 to 27 degrees Centigrade. The 

 cHmate of the upper Amazon is warm and damp, the mercury oscillating 

 between close extremes, except during what is called the " friagem " 

 or cold spells. The middle part of the day is undeniably hot, but the 

 mornings are cool and the afternoons are very bearable. Frequent 

 showers cool and purify the atmosphere. 



Second zone : Mean temperature, 23 to 26 degrees Centigrade in 

 the low lands, and 18 to 21 degrees in the more elevated parts. 



Third zone : Mean temperature, 16 to 19 degrees Centigrade. 



