November i, 1887.3 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
ous points along this southern coast have climbed 
the steep sea wall, and are spreading their ramific- 
ations slowly but surely far and wide over this fair 
land. In Sao Paulo is especially noticeable Ihe great 
benefits derived from a network of railways, built 
where they wero wanted, and not as in some parts 
of Brazil where they were not required. The con- 
struction of theso Sao Paulo railways has certainly 
induced immigration; for moro settlers now flock to 
this province than to any other. 
Yet another obstacle is apparent, under existing 
circumstances, to the spontaneous adoption of even 
this southern section of Brazil by any of the streams 
of emigrants from Kurope, and that is, that the 
immediate coast regions are in the hands of large 
proprietors who unprofitably occupy areas far larger 
than the requirements of a modern system ot agri- 
culture demand (lor plough and manure is dispensed 
with except in rare cases). These proprietors are 
naturally anxious to welcome the immigrant, not how- 
ever as an independent settler or small farmer, but 
as a laborer to substitute bis slaves. This tho immi- 
grant naturally does not waul; he looks rather for 
independence and a possible fortune, results that are 
not likely to occur so loi g as he wastes his host years 
in working for small wages or on the perhaps doubt- 
ful co-operative system. For although this system 
may have great advantages to an impecunious immi- 
grant, it canuot be acceptable to one with a moderate 
capital. 
I have lately heard of a new feature in the colonization 
of Brazil, and that is the purchase of a large tract of 
laud iu Parana by a syndicate of British capitalists, 
I can heartily congratulate them upon their wisdom. 
This is essentially what is required, foreign capital in 
combination with foreign labour will render the immi- 
grants to such a colony independent of the paternal but 
cumbersome caro of fchi Government and also of the 
" old man of the mountain," the old great landed pro- 
prietor. I anticipate eventually grpat success to this 
enterprise. 
At present the total immigration in Brazil is between 
20,000 to 25,000 per annum, a mere drop in the ocean 
to so vast a territory These people cousist mainly of 
.Portuguese, Italians, Germans, Austriaus, .Spaniards, 
Poles, iu tho proportion respectively of S7, 59, 12, 
6, 6, 1, 
This Immediate Future of Brazil. 
Tho best estimation of the future of any country can 
only be a surmise, but if tho calculations are based 
upon facts that warrant the drawn conclusions they 
must necessarily carry with thorn a certain amount of 
faith. At the same time, there are many erroneous 
ideas with regard to Brazil that must be dissipated be- 
fore considering such a theme. 
Fristly. Tin general idea of Brazil is that it is a 
vast and universally fertile land. Secondly. That it 
has a very hot tropical and unhealthy climato generally. 
Both of these ideas are wrong, for with regard to the 
former, the larger part of Brazil is covered with com- 
paratively desert savannahs of grass or Borub, well 
watered, certainly, but unfit for anything except pas- 
toral purposes. This fact detracts the value of a very 
considerable portion of the huge country; still, even 
discounting these wastes, there are many, many Wild 
nud uncultivated sections of the country that offer :i 
very fair soil, but not by any means exceptionally so. 
As to the climate, I maintain that no part of the 
tropics is to be compared to Brazil for general mild- 
liens and healthiness On the coast yellow fever and 
agues occasionally appear, and in some of the great 
riverine valleys, insect pests nod intermittent fevers 
quite prohibit any settlement by white folks, yet away 
from land-looked parts of the coast and (ho lowlands 
of the interior thoro are vast regions whore the 
olimatu is nil that a human being could desire, liven 
in many parts of the great Amazons river the 
climate is prcfrctly healthy and enjoyable. 
Now the population, of about 13,(HKt,lKX) of inhabit- 
ants must not be estimated as a wholly productive 
factor, for when the whole exports of the country are 
only JO.tMXI.IMNi'., it will be seen that there is notne- 
tuiug wrong, anil nally fully out-hall [ol this population 
must be dismissed from one' s calculations as a non- 
productive element, at any rate for the present, for 
this half is scattered so thinly over the vast area of the 
interior, that the people have to vegetate as the trees 
around them, they neither export nor import, for tho 
way to the coast is long and weary, and prohibit- 
ively costly. 
A casual visitor to the interior would be hastily 
disposed to condemn these country people as the per- 
sonification of indolence, and be disposed to attribute 
the cause to the enervating effects of a hot climate. 
But a long experience with these people leads one to 
draw other conclusions. I attribute two main causes 
to the production of this state of apparent enervation 
and degeneration of races, namely, slavery and want 
of communications. One of the ill-effects of slavery, 
that has been coeval with its existence in every country 
(and that is especially rampant in Brazil), is the de- 
struction of the dignity of manual labour that, by carry- 
ing with it a sense ol odium or even disgrace, has naturally 
done much to undermine the natural forces of a 
once energetic race. I will give an example of 
how this feeling pervades even the educated classes 
that ought to know better. On one occasion, when 
I was directing some public works, I took eff my 
coat and rolled up my sleeves to show the native 
bricklayers, what was nay idea of bricklaying, and how 
I wanted it done. In consequence of this my as- 
sistants, young Brazilian engineers, promptly dropped 
the courteous appellative of Seuhor Doutor that 
they had hitherto addressed me by, and I became 
thenceforth simply Senhor Wells. I had lost caste. 
But much of this false shame is wearing away, for now 
mauy a Brazilian gentleman can be seen carrying a 
parcel iu the street, an action that formerly would have 
been looked upon with absolute horror. The want 
of communications to markets for local surplus produc- 
tions has also Iargerly contributed to foster the lethargy 
of the people, by destroying all stimulus to work for 
something beyond actual necessities. Yet beneath 
this indolent exterior, I have found on many and many 
an occasion with these people a latent power of endur- 
ance and a capacity for excessively hard work — not 
fitfully, but day after day, week after week, and month 
after month, sustained under heat, privations, and in- 
sect pests, without a murmur — that is really surprising 
and only proves what these people will do for those 
who know how to haudle them. 
Therefore, when these facts are considered it will 
readily be admitted. I believe, what a change will 
take place, socially and commercially, when slavery is 
finished, immigrants arrive, and railways reach the in- 
terior. Immigration and railways are indispensable, 
but one without the other will only produce failure. 
Amongst those people who are rather misty in their 
geography, it is customary to speak of Brazil, or the 
Brazils as they cali it, as one of those South American 
Bepublics. It is hardly necessary for me to say that it 
is the only monarchy on the Contiueut (if we except 
British and Dutch Guiana), but it has generally existed 
calmly in a peaceful vortex surrounded by a whirl of 
revolutions in the neighbouring republics. In Brazil 
there i-. like in every monarchy, a republican party 
and also a separatist party, but the influential people 
of the empire are so compromised in the stability of 
the State (whatever political changes may take place) 
that it is to their own advantage to see that the foreign 
credit of the country is not jeopardised, for the in- 
ternal debt of the country is more than three 
limes that of the foreign debt a factor ol security to 
tho foreign bondholdir that no other South American 
.state can show. 
One of tho most important results that I anticipate 
will ensue from the construction of the great inland 
railways will be discoveries of gold, silver and diamonds. 
It is true that the old Portuguese colonists did do an 
immense nmount of mining ami were extremely success- 
ful (in 1753 a Meet arrived in Lisbon from EUo with 
bullion to tho value of :t,00O,O00/. sterling), and yep 
when one traces on a map of Brazil the- districts that 
at I est were only superficially explored and seen the 
vast areas of Brazil yet unknown, well, one cannot 
but think that tLcro are as yet good nib u tin. 
