William Hadfield

“ There is a large kitchen garden attached, and quite a plantation of pear trees, loaded with splendid pears, for which Monte Video is famous. The stables and farm buildings are extensive, and, like the house, they are in the Swiss cottage style; they are tenanted by fine horses, valuable cows, and other descriptions of cattle. Everything is in perfect order. The view from the upper ground, at the back of the house, is very fine—the city, the harbour filled with shipping, and the mounts at its entrance, the waters of the La Plata glistening beyond in the sunlight. ”

“ Happy indeed is it for the interests of this country that so immense a capital has found its way into steam hammers, saws, lathes, and all the mighty elements which mechanical genius has called into the service of man. We are on the right track at last, and people who want to judge of the real progress of this place should visit the workshops of the Western Railway. Within the last few 257years this grand mart of mechanical industry has sprung into existence. We recollect Buenos Ayres without a railway—still more without a workshop—unless the humble smith's forge may be dubbed by this title ”

“ Rio itself is a bad copy of Lisbon—streets at right angles, a large square facing the sea, and the suburbs extending up the hills which everywhere meet your eye. In Lisbon the streets are tolerably wide, but here they have built them so miserably narrow, that scarcely even one carriage can pass through, much less pass each other; and it is evident that such vehicles were never contemplated in the original formation of these streets. ”

“ They will carry with them their statesmen, their orators, and their men of science, and though they may carry little gold and silver, and but a few of this world's goods, yet they will carry with them rich stores of great and active thought, vast mines of unflagging energy and industry, immense treasures of practical and scientific knowledge in planting, navigation, commerce, and the fine arts. They will carry with them stout hearts, untarnished honour, and unconquered manhood ”

“ Having adopted Brazil as our future home, and believing as we do that it is better adapted to the wants of our people than any other country upon earth, we should rejoice to see the good and true people of the South emigrate in masses to this wonderful country. Hence our anxiety that this Government should fully understand the character, the capacities, and the habits of the Southern people. ”

“ That the policy of the Brazilian Government with regard to her territories on the Amazon is in the right direction no one can deny, and it is in striking contrast with the proceedings of the ruler of Paraguay, who could, in the erection of his formidable strongholds, have had no other object in view than that of impeding, if he did not absolutely obstruct, the passage of the River Paraguay. Paraguayan advocates have, indeed, endeavoured to show that the opening of the Amazon by Brazil was solely dictated by self-interested motives, but let the world look at the facts and judge accordingly. ”

“ The busiest part of the city, commercially speaking, is down by the Custom House and on to the Boca, the latter the rendezvous of lighters conveying produce to the ships in the outer roads, as well as of small steamers bound up river, and I understand that 300 lighters are now engaged in this work, many of them of good size and decked over. It is in contemplation to deepen and enlarge the Riachuelo, as the stream alluded to is called, and a most useful work it will be, as it is almost the mainstay of the port. ”

“ There are some other landing-places, with stone steps, in front of the large square, whence the ferry-boats across the bay take their departure, but these are not very convenient, and the untidy state of the public market which stands here is a disgrace to the municipality. Indeed nothing can be more derogatory to a large city like Rio de Janeiro, possessing the finest harbour in the world, than such landing places, which create a most unfavourable impression on strangers. ”

“ The time is fast approaching when slavery must cease to exist in Brazil; and it behoves the Government to anticipate this event by the introduction of free labour. It is morally certain that the negroes, even if they settle down under their new condition, will not labour so constantly as when in a state of servitude. The Government ought, therefore, I repeat, to adapt itself to the exigences of its position, and encourage by every means the accession of European agricultural labourers of a suitable class. ”

“ The bulk of the Boca traffic is carried on by carts, under great disadvantages and at a heavy expense; and it is a painful sight to see the poor horses struggling through the mud, or toiling under the lash up the steep, miserably paved streets which connect the beach with the warehouses and depôts at the southern end of the city. In fact everything in the way of locomotion is carried on under great difficulties, and the detention of shipping in the outer roads is a serious matter. ”

“ The great evil attending all improvement in Brazil is an undue appreciation of native capability and a disparagement or mistrust of those whose practical experience would enable them to grapple with the difficulties that surround them—a kind of little jealousy or distrust that prevents their availing themselves of opportunities thrown in their way to carry out undertakings necessary to the well-being of the country: nor can they understand the principle on which such things are regulated in England, still less the magnitude of operations carried on there and in many other parts of Europe. ”

“ Altogether, this sad event has created a feeling in Monte Video which it will take long to recover from, nor is any confidence felt in the ability of the present rulers to overcome the difficulties of their position. It is a great pity so fine a country and so fair a city should be sacrificed to objects of mere personal ambition, and be the sport of every discontented chief or partisan who chooses to set himself in array against the Government; but unfortunately this is too much the case, nor do the people themselves rise to put down such a state of anarchy. ”

“ We are also deeply impressed with the belief that in order to a full development of their energies as a people and a successful renewal of those glorious triumphs in every art and science that once rendered them so illustrious, it is necessary they should be left as free and untrammelled in their action as the safety and dignity of an enlightened and liberal Government will admit. ”

“ As I have already remarked, the want of population is the great drawback under which this country now suffers, and is an impediment to progress in every way. This can only be remedied by emigration receiving the direct aid as well as the encouragement of Government. It is not sufficient that a few stray people find their way up the country, but centres of population and labour should be formed in the most productive parts of every province, which would lead to agricultural progress, and eventually to the formation of new towns and cities. ”

“ It is decidedly worth a visit from Europe to go over the railway, and few can help wondering how it was ever made, under what must have appeared almost insurmountable difficulties in such a country and such a climate; the pioneers obliged to live in the forests and often short of the necessaries of life. Without traversing the line it is impossible to form any idea of the magnitude of the undertaking, or how the boilers and machinery for the stationary engines were dragged up the mountains, almost without a track, much less a road, for a total height of 2,600 feet above the level of the sea. ”

“ This country has everything to hope for; nature has not been unmindful of its most precious gifts to this land.
In the selection of lands, upon which it is my purpose to establish a colony, I will be governed by the advantages offered by the lands at Brigança over those explored. If the lands at Brigança are well watered and rich its accessibility will decide me.
The migration to Brazil of energetic and agricultural population from the former Confederate States of North America is still going on, and may produce hereafter a most beneficial effect on the destinies of the Empire. ”

“ I may observe en passant that so far from having entertained any prejudices against Paraguay, my sympathies have always been in favour of that country as evinced during my visit to the River Plate in 1853, at which period the elder Lopez was alive, and there appeared to be dawning in the future, not only an era of internal development for a very fine, fertile territory, but also a relaxation of the iron rule under which the people had so long groaned, by encouraging, to a limited extent it might be, commercial relations with other countries. ”

“ The support the Government has received in carrying on a long and costly war proves that the honour and well-being of the Empire is as dear to them as to the most patriotic people.
I am glad to have to record the abolition of passports in Brazil unless specially asked for. I had occasion to notice the inconvenience caused on a late trip to the River Plate, and it is gratifying to see that Brazilian statesmen appreciate the march of events in this respect, as I trust will also soon be the case in facilitating the despatch of passengers' luggage. ”

“ The climate is fine and healthy, the lightness of the atmosphere produces an exhilarating effect, and an increase of energy and activity. The grandeur and magnificence of the mountains fill the mind with sentiments of veneration and awe. ”

“ It has been truly remarked by an eminent writer, that the greatest wonder of the age is a locomotive engine; that since its adoption travellers have been multiplied through the facility of transit: and that the greater those facilities, the greater the number of travellers. These facts have become generally known in this Republic, where several railways have already been made, and others are being constructed. The Central Argentine Railway, when completed, will extend from the city of Rosario to Cordova; this will be a great and lasting benefit to the commerce of the country. ”

“ That the cholera will become a permanent visitor in the River Plate seems unlikely, if we are to judge from its erratic course in other parts of the world, but no one can say that the scourge will not prevail until the cities and towns are effectively sewered and drained. The climate itself is healthy enough, but then this is no safeguard against epidemics, which have their origin in impurities allowed to accumulate until cities become pest-houses. ”

“ The tide of emigration to Brazil, spite of this disadvantage, has, however, fairly set in, and the subject will be treated of in its proper place. Happily, in the River Plate there exists no such hindrance to the development of free labour, for which it also presents a boundless field, and it will be the study of the writer to show how a portion, at all events, of the surplus population of Europe can be located there, to the great advantage of those who embrace the opening as well as of the country itself, whose chief and most urgent want is labour. ”

“ I had not been at Petropolis for twenty years, during which time there has been a large increase of building and population, but I was sorry to learn that this prosperity is likely to be evanescent, in consequence of the soil suitable for cultivation by the German colonists being worn out, and still more by the Dom Pedro II. Railway turning the stream of traffic, which previously to its opening to Entre Rios had continued to flow from the mines through Petropolis and down the splendid mountain road, conveying goods and passengers to the Mauá Railway, and thence by steamer to Rio. ”

“ A full military band paraded the streets, followed by crowds of people; indeed, nearly the whole of the population, male and female, turned out and paraded the streets to a late hour, the wonder being where they all came from. ”

“ Our little world is the ship on which we are sailing, and those within it, the greater part of whom have been utter strangers to each other previous to embarkation. Selfishness under such circumstances finds its level, or is confined within very narrow bounds, and a common instinct draws every one together, until at the end of the voyage, when those who are only passengers part, and go each on his several mission, few in all likelihood ever to meet again in their various walks in life. ”