Heiler
1877, 20 July
A Tour Through Brazil

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The Photographic News, Vol.XXI, No.985, July 20, 1877, p.342-343.
 
A TOUR THROUGH BRAZ1L.
 
Herr Heiler, a member of the Berlin Society for the Advancement of Photography, who has just returned from a tour in Brazil, gave an interesting account of his work and adventures at a recent meeting of his brethren in the Prussian capital. A large collection of stereoscopic pictures which he had taken excited considerable interest from the circumstance that they represented for the most part the primeval forests of Parana, and included much wild and impressive scenery. Some wonderful formations of rock to be met with in that part of the world were depicted, as also many groups of local Indian tribes, whose portraits proved of particular interest, although the lady members of the races appear to have no claim to be considered beautiful.
 
Notwithstanding the many difficulties which Herr Heiler experienced in his travels, the pictures he brings home are very clear and clean, and despite climatic vagaries are possessed of excellent detail and delicacy. Accompanying the photographer on his cross journey through the country were two friends, an architect and an engineer. Eleven mules served for the transport of the luggage, and two blacks acted as attendants. The apparatus had need to be very solid and well packed, for not only were the attendants exceedingly careless, but the path through forest and jungle, which had frequently to be cut with the axe, necessarily presented repeated difficulties, and many and hard were the knocks to which the packages were subjected. Moreover, mules have the disagreeable quality of throwing off their load whenever they can, and unfortunately there is little opportunity on the way to repair damages. The subject of provisions also caused the party some anxiety, and everything pretty well had to be taken along with them, since supplies were rarely to be obtained on the road. The best food to transport was dried meat (since it was portable and light, and could be preserved good for a long time), and a small kind of black bean, together with coffee and flour. Water seldom tailed, but it was little good calculating upon game; there is plenty in the dense woods and thickets, but it was not easily come-at-able.
 
The luggage of the party was packed in good stout boxes, not too large, of which each mule carried two, one on each side. The harnessing and packing require, however, particular care, for the animals are easily wounded or injured, and are thereby incapacitated from acting as pack animals. Hamlets or plantations are rarely met with. The traveller is kindly treated by the inhabitants, but must pay dearly for all necessaries. Coffee, for instance, cost in Brazil, where coffee is grown, three times as much as in Europe. In regard to the Indians, they are a little difficult to deal with, since the traveller is unacquainted with their language, customs, and habits. Above everything it i"necessary to be provided with a sufficiency of presents for them, in the shape of glass beads, coloured cloths, and, indeed, any glittering or coloured articles, which need not be useful so long as they are pretty to look at. At the same time showy articles should be avoided in one's attire, such as shining buttons and buckles, as these provoke the envy of the Indians. With the aid of such things to barter and exchange, one can get on very well with the Aborigines.
 
The fear of the mulcs and dogs for wild animals is very remarkable; they easily detect an old resting-place, even if it is fifty paces distant. Of poisonous snakes Herr Heiler found no lack, but the bite of these reptiles may, it seems, be easily cured by dropping ammonia into the wound, and drinking some of the same in a dilute form.
 
The improvising of a resting place for the night, and the preparation of the evening meal, were the most tiresome tasks, because they often came at the end of a fatiguing day. The labour of journeying was very great, and as there is an absence of bridges, where unfordable rivers were met with a raft had to be constructed. The mules were unloaded, the goods and ptraoantl placed upon the self-constructed float, and in this way the party was ferried across, the animals being left to follow by swimming.
 
The cost of the expedition, which lasted from the 17th May to 9th December, is calculated by Herr Heiler at 2,000 thalers (é300), a high price, but accounted for by the costly character of provisions and necessaries. The result is a series of three hundred negatives of stereoscopic character, taken on nine by eleven-inch plates. The collodion Herr Heiler took with him from Germany was found to be unserviceable on his arrival at Brazil, having been destroyed by the heat, and he was compelled to set to work and make some fresh material for himself. In fact, all Herr Heiler's work was done with freshly prepared collodion, made just before use.
 
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