"When the horrors of the famine became known in the cities of Brazil an appropriation was voted by the government for the relief of the sufferers. Fairs were held, subscriptions raised, and a large amount of money was obtained, which went for supplying food to the survivors. The government sent engineers to lay out lines of railway and employ the people; in this way they obtained relief, and the country was provided with iron roads that will develop the country and be of practical use in transporting provisions in case of another drought. "That was the way the calamity helped the building of railways," said the Doctor, "just as famines have led to similar public works in India and other countries. In the beginning of the distress the government and the public contributions supplied food to the people free of charge; the result was that they soon looked upon it as their right, and refused work when it was offered. When the government began operations on the railways it was ordered that no one who declined to work should receive either money or rations, and in this way the indolent were compelled to do something." Frank asked what was the mortality in consequence of this famine? "According to the figures at my command," said the Doctor, "there were in 1876 about nine hundred thousand inhabitants in Ceara. In 1877 and 1878 five hundred thousand people died, or more than half the whole population!" "Did they all die of famine?" "Not all; but the greater part of the mortality was the result of the famine. Fifty thousand died of starvation and disease in 1877, and about two hundred thousand in the first four months of 1878. Then small-pox, fevers, and other diseases appeared, and numbered their victims by many thousands, in addition to those who perished directly for want of food in the remaining months of the second year. Many persons moved away to other provinces and will not return to Ceara; the periodic occurrence of droughts will make life there very uncertain, and the probabilities are that it will never be prosperous. "But enough of this sad subject," said the Doctor, with a sigh; "let us talk of something else." His suggestion was adopted, and Fred called attention to a patch of mandioca near the station where the train was coming to a halt. [Illustration: A TROPICAL RAILWAY STATION.] "That is one of the staples of Brazil," said Dr. Bronson, "and it figures in her exports in the shape of tapioca. Mandioca is as necessary to the native of Brazil as the potato to the Irishman, or beef to the Englishman; mandioca flour, in this country, fills the place occupied by wheat flour or corn meal among ourselves." They had repeatedly seen mandioca growing in patches near the villages, and in their journey down the Madeira and Amazon they had found it an excellent article of food. Ascertaining that the train would be nearly half an hour at the station, they strolled over to the little garden and learned how mandioca is cultivated.