ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
Minas Geraes, Sta. Catharina, and Espirito Santo; silver, 
mercury, lead, tin, salicylated and natural copper are 
found in many places, as well as graphite, iron, magnetic 
iron, oxide of copper, antimony, argentiferous galena, 
malachite, manganese oxide, alum, bituminous schist, 
anthracite, phosphate of lime, sulphate of sodium, haema¬ 
tite, monazitic sands (the latter in large quantities), 
nitrate of potassium, yellow, rose-coloured, and opalescent 
quartz, sulphate of iron, sulphate of magnesia, potash, 
kaolin. Coal and lignite of poor quality have been 
discovered in some regions, and also petroleum, but not 
in large quantities. 
Springs of thermal and mineral waters are numerous 
— particularly those of which the waters are sulphurous 
or ferruginous; others contain arsenic and magnesia. 
Most beautiful marble of various colours is to be 
found, and also enormous quantities of mica and 
amianth; porphyry and porphyroid granite, carbonated 
and hydroxided iron, argillaceous schist, mica schist. 
Even richer than the mineral wealth is the botanical 
wealth, hitherto dormant, of Brazil. Valuable woods 
occur in many Brazilian forests — although it must not 
for one moment be imagined that entire forests are to be 
found composed of useful woods. Indeed this is not the 
case. Most of the woods are absolutely valueless. Still, 
when it is realized that the forests of Brazil extend for 
several millions of square kilometres, it is easy to conceive 
that there is plenty of room among a majority of poor 
trees for some good ones. Most Brazilian woods are 
interesting on account of their high specific gravity. 
Few, very few, will float on water. On the central 
plateau, for instance, I could not find a single wood 
which floated — barring, under special conditions, the 
burity palm (Mauritia vinifera M.). Along the banks 
of the Amazon and in the northern part of Brazil this is 
not quite the case. Some Brazilian woods, such as the 
4 
