12 
Manaos. The water is then conveyed to the houses oi the inhabitants 
by gravitation through a system of pipes. 
Both the drainage and water systems are being greatly improved 
and extended by the Manaos Improvements Company, Limited A 
modern system of sewers, house connections, and sew age disposal is 
almost completed, and, with the new water supply, the sanitation of 
the city will be greatly improved. In so many tropical towns the 
great evils are the lack of a pipe-borne water supply and an efficient 
drainage system ; the absence of these necessities naturally helping 
to propagate disease. With the completion of such important works, 
many of the present sanitary evils which prevail in Manaos should 
vanish. 
Food supply. The cost of living is very great, the prices of actual 
necessities being absurdly high as compared with other tropical 
countries. I he beef is of average quality, but the supply is limited. 
Cattle-raising is not taken up very extensively, as only certain parts 
of the State are suitable for ranches, but the Rio Branco and parts 
of the country along the Rio Amazonas are well adapted and furnish 
a fair number of cattle. Under such circumstances the poorer class 
of citizens in Manaos are rarely able to afford fresh beef, and their 
diet consists chiefly of dried beans, farinha, goat flesh, salt cod and 
some dried local fish, plantains, fruit. Fowls, ducks, eggs, etc, are 
all dear, the demand exceeding the supply. I n consequence, large 
quantities are imported from South Brazil and the lower reaches of 
the Amazon district. 
d " Water turtle and various kinds of fish are excellent and, 
during low river, are both cheap and abundant. 
evefthT r C ‘ OUS an<1 n °“ rishlng fruits S’™ wild in the State, but 
o. s :t;.r£tr d ^’ pi “ r r Cs 
encourage the people f y exTmptme th r " ^ Sh ° U ' d 
taxation, so that greater nuanfh r fr ° m certdin forms of 
retailed at prices within the means^yf C ° Uld ** 8K>Wn md 
vegetables are an absolute necessity td'sh^ ^ ^ 
- - .or as we,l as the £ ££ 
