service has not been and is not half as well sustained as that of the leading European countries. Our practice in this regard has been eminently "pound foolish and penny wise." How insignificant would be the cost of such service on a liberal scale, compared with the vast outlay when once a country is obliged to drop peaceful remedies and resort to force! A small example of this occurs to me. Mr. Welles, Secretary of the Navy, writing November 18, 1868, relative to a movement against Paraguay, states that on a former occasion, when a demonstration was made against Paraguay, a naval force of light-draught vessels was sent out, and that the expedition "cost the Government several million dollars." For much less money than that the Government could have maintained a full embassy in Paraguay, in a palace, a hundred years!

CHAPTER IX.

A TRIP INTO THE INTERIOR.

In the early part of August, 1883, I, with my family, made a trip into the great province of Minas-Geraes as far as the town of Barbacena, which, though on an ordinary atlas appears to be close to the sea-coast, is yet two hundred and thirty-four miles distant from Rio, by railway, in the interior. In going we went a roundabout way by Petropolis and returned direct by rail. We left our residence in Rua (Jardim) das Larangeiras at 1.45 P. M., Monday July 30th, and drove to the Petropolis steamboat, distant three miles, arriving considerably ahead of time. The weather had been unusually warm that day, but the sky was overcast, the distant mountains considerably hidden by clouds, and the breeze from across the bay felt damp but fresh. The harbor seemed very quiet. Six or eight large steamers were lying in sight, among them the American steamship Finance, which had her colors displayed and steam making, apparently for the continuation of her voyage to Santos-then an exceptional movement. A few little boats with freight were moving about; and just in front of us a large threemasted sailing-vessel, with white-painted hull and heavily loaded, was being towed by a propeller. The cabin of

our boat had a number of settees on each side facing the direction we were going, and on one of these near a window we took our places, and went to reading some late American newspapers. The boat started at six minutes after three o'clock, and at half-past three we were passing near Government Island-the longest and largest of the numerous islands in the Rio Bay, covered with low green foliage, and along the edge of which are a number of white cottages of working - people. Afterward we

passed another island which was particularly pretty from the varied colors of its foliage-dark and light green— also the russet-colored tops of the mango-trees of different shades, from the russet to an orange tint. The shores were somewhat rocky, with occasional exposed places of red soil. To our front and right were other smaller islands, bearing small palms, banana-trees, and green bushes of various shades. On hill-sides were one or two cleared patches. The highest land of any of the islands did not exceed one hundred and fifty feet. Looking backward on our right, the hills back of Nictheroy and the SugarLoaf were visible, while directly behind the boat was Rio, dimly seen through the heavy atmosphere. In front, at a distance, were high mountains draped with fleecy clouds.

Besides ourselves there were in the cabin eleven adult passengers and five children. The cabin-floor was uncarpeted and clean. After an hour's passage on the boat we landed and walked a short distance to the railway upon which, after half an hour's run through a level, and for the first part swampy, bush-covered, wild, and thriftlesslooking country, though containing an occasional dwelling and some patches of corn and mandioca, also a few orange and banana trees, the foot of the mountains was reached. Then at a slow pace the cars were pushed up the mount

ain's side over a surface well wooded with deciduous trees and exposing many big granite rocks. The first half of the way the soil is a red clay mixed with granite, but approaching the summit it becomes a brown loam. We pass granite cuts near enough to touch the sides, also high, almost overhanging, rocks, and occasionally a declivity a hundred feet or more down and somewhat startling. For a part of the way the track follows the rocky course of a clear stream. Here and there the old, winding carriage-road with its high stone embankment is visible. The vegetation is abundant, the trees being tall and some of large size. Sometimes the views are fine, but on this occasion they were all shut out by wet clouds which actually enveloped us. Three quarters of an hour are occupied in ascending the mountain and in the short descent on the other side into Petropolis, making about two and a half hours for the whole trip. We reached the place at half-past five o'clock and drove to our hotel. As Petropolis is a very quiet place, it is the queer fashion there for people, even of the genteel class, to go to the railway-station at the time the train arrives; and there was quite a collection of people at the station the evening we arrived there.

The next day we made some excursions through and around the city, and very much enjoyed seeing the pretty villas with fine flower-gardens, the excellent macadamized roads, and the pebble-bottomed streams. The situation of Petropolis, in the mountains twenty-four hundred feet above the sea, is very pleasant and healthful; and foreigners arriving at Rio de Janeiro during the warm season between November and June, and finding the heat too great, or yellow fever prevailing, can obtain a quick and perfectly safe retreat at this mountain resort. The Em

peror's summer villa was built there about forty years ago, and, as improvements have been going on ever since, it has become a most attractive as well as healthful and fashionable summer resort-the principal one, indeed, in Brazil. The diplomatic body usually go there bag and baggage at the same time as the court, and stay as long, which is generally from December till June. Petropolis lies in the valleys of three clear streams, which have been so improved by the engineer and gardener that they are quite a feature of the place. Their banks are even with the macadamized street or road on either side, but their channels are ten to fifteen feet deep, with sloping and trim, grass-covered sides. They flow gently over smooth, pebbly bottoms, and, though usually shallow, sometimes after a heavy rain overflow their banks. They are crossed by a number of foot and other bridges having bright-red railings, and shade-trees are growing along their banks. Two of these streams coming from opposite directions in the same street unite in the square of Dom Pedro II, and, after flowing through the centers of several other streets in a similar deep channel, are joined by another stream of like character, the whole forming a considerable river, which still runs for some distance in the limits of the town, and then over numerous foaming rapids descends the western slope of the mountains to the broad Parahyba. Petropolis includes in its limits several conical hills, about five hundred feet high, composed of fertile red soil, mostly covered with a young growth of forest, ever verdant, but somewhat variegated, and in which the dark green of the gracefully clustered bamboo and the lighter shades of the banana are noticeable. Some of the hill-sides show patches of cultivation and tidylooking cottages. Fine mountain scenery is visible in