33695 Bancroft Library PREFACE. LAST SUMMER I made an excursion to Rio Grande, where I was astonished to find so many thriving German colonies, of which little is known in the River Plate or in Europe. The only works I could find referring to so interesting a part of the Brazilian Empire were a pamphlet written in German and reproduced in French at Paris some twenty years ago, and a 'Cuadro Estadistico' by the engineer Camargo, published at Port Alegre in 1868. My impressions and notes of travel through the colonies were too voluminous for reproduction in the columns of a daily paper, and for that reason I publish them in the present form, including some letters which have already appeared in the Buenos Ayres 'Standard.' To my readers I a will only say, that for a pleasure-trip during vacation I can strongly recommend Port Alegre, its beautiful scenery and kindly people, so little known to the outer world, although only twenty days from London by steamer, and three from the River Plate. Passengers from England would have to change at Rio Janeiro from the ocean-steamer to Lamport and Holt's line, and again at Rio Grande to Proudfoot's lake-steamer 'Guayiba.' Those from the River Plate can take Lamport and Holt's fortnightly steamer from Monte Video, the passage to Rio Grande averaging thirty hours. The artist or sportsman will find plenty of occupation ascending the Jacuhy, Sinos, Caby, and other fine rivers which have their confluence at Port Alegre. Should this little book be of any utility, my recollections of a vacation spent among the German colonies will be all the more pleasurable. M. G. MULHALL. BUENOS AYRES: June 10, 1872. |