26o A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



" The early period of its existence was extremely agitated. 

 The rivalries of race assumed a serious character, and produced 

 the sanguinary scenes known by the name of the wars of the 

 Emboabas. The fiscal rights of the metropolis, the repeated laws 

 made to raise the taxes (not tithes, but fifths), the different 

 forms of taxation, were also the origin of disturbances which 

 many times ended tragically on the scaffold. 



" The closing years of the last century were saddened by the 

 conspiracy c3f Tiradentes ; in which, generous plans and imprudent 

 words brought to the gallows that heroic patriot, and led to the 

 banishment of so many men of distinction. 



" The attempted conspiracy of Tiradentes — for it did not reach 

 beyond an attempt — was the last threatening of the people of 

 Minas during the colonial period. Since then peace, quietness, 

 and contentment have been established there, and it was only in 

 1842 that a revolutionary movement broke out, which was 

 promptly nipped in the bud. 



" Minas Geraes is to-day one of the most peaceful provinces 

 in Brazil, besides having the largest population; and, following 

 the example which the country has set it, since, in 1850, the period 

 of revolutions came to an end, it has begun by agriculture and 

 industry to augment its importance, and lay the foundation of its 

 progress." 



It is the fourth largest of the twenty provinces which form the 

 Empire of Brazil, the other three being Amazonas, Para, and 

 Mato Grosso. 



Minas Geraes extends in length from 14° to 20° S. lat., and in 

 breadth from 3° 24' east to 8° west of Rio de Janeiro ; it has, 

 therefore, an extreme length of 621 miles, and breadth of 786, 

 with an area of 888,600 square kilometres. Thus it is larger than 

 the British Isles and France together, the British Isles being 

 300,000 and France 543,000 square kilometres respectively. 



It is the most mountainous province in Brazil, and is crossed 

 by two principal groups of ranges. 



The Espinhago group, which, branching out of the Serra do 

 Mar in Sao Paolo, extends as far as the heights of Barbacena, 

 under the name of Serra da Mantiqueira, and thence turning 

 northwards reaches to Diamantina, whence it passes into Bahia. 



