Mistakenly advised, and often lured by too golden promises, the stranger has often rushed to one or another part of South America, has found bitter disappointment, and gone home with denunciation of all things South American upon his tongue; but in many instances the fault lay within himself, in his want of knowledge of circumstances, physical and mental, and of his improper equipment for the task that lay to his hand. There are many such tasks, but they must be approached with equipment and spirit equally prepared; no fortune is to be attained by a mere rub of the magic lamp. This book is offered chiefly with the hope of helping to stimulate interest in Brazil, to induce a more thorough study than these pages can offer in the only place where Brazil can be studied—in her own fair confines. If it supplements what has already been written, brings up to date for the time being the story of Brazil’s development, if it awakens in more of the energetic and able people of the world a wish to take part in the opening-up of the great Brazilian resources, this book will have served its modest purpose. It is the fruit of seven years’ travel in and study of Latin America, and two years’ special work on and in Brazil, where seventeen out of the twenty States were visited. A debt is owing to many Brazilian publications, sources of much statistical matter as well as illumination of Brazilian thought, as the _Jornal do Commercio_ of Rio, _Brasil Ferro Carril_, very many local journals of different States, _Wileman’s Brazilian Review_, the _Diario Official_ issued by various authorities; the invaluable _Mensagens_, with their financial and industrial surveys, issued by State Presidents; to many kind and helpful friends in Brazil, England and America; to the _South American Journal_; and especially to Mr. W. Roberts of the London _Times_, to whom I am indebted for most of the subject matter in “The World’s Horticultural and Medicinal Debt to Brazil.” CHAPTER I THE HISTORY OF BRAZIL Brazil and the Brazilians cannot be understood without knowledge of their history, for here as in no other part of Latin America the past has led up to the present without any violent upheaval. While the Spanish colonies of Central and South America were plunged first in revolutionary and afterwards in civil war, shedding not only blood but also tradition and brotherhood with their kin, Portuguese America was saved from similar conditions by the odd turn of fortune that made her a monarchy, independent of Europe and yet ruled by a European prince, during the most critical years of the nineteenth century.