Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the dry necessities of my profession with all my afflictions; during the last fifteen days I
lived between my maps, the medicines, and the infinite attentions required by the delic-
ate situation of my life's companion.”
31
The domestic and political scenes were equally discouraging. Although Ana had
sworn to give up Dilermando and to become a different woman, the relations in the da
whosetrialsanddeprivations seemedadelightful alternative tothedemandsofthecourt
and the ambience of his household. He reported to Dutra: “I don't know if the news
has arrived there yet, but I have been nominated to supervise the construction of the
Madeira-Mamoré railroad. Really, things are coming to that, and if a serious obstacle
that I encounter—the opposition of my father—can be derailed, I'll be there soon, shod
once again in my seven-league boots.”
33
Da Cunha's family had to be placed under the responsibility of someone, and as he
had before the Purús commission, he turned to his father: “The commission is the most
seriousandbrilliantofallthatanengineercanaspiretotoday.. . .AccordingtotheMin-
ister, I would be the fiscal supervisor—whose autonomy would be absolute—and who
wouldrepresentthegovernmentalongwiththatgreatcontinentalrailroadthatwilltrans-
form South America. I have accepted. I can't resist this attraction. It would be one more
sacrifice, but it would be another daring launch into the future. I know that you would
not reprove this, my last audacious act. Besides, I would complete my still partial obser-
vationsonAmazonia.”Astothefamily,hecontinued:“Saninhaobstinatelydeclaresthat
she does not want to be left alone again. I would have to take her and the youngest to
Belém. Solon and Euclides would stay at the boarding school where they are now,under
your care.”
34
ItisnotclearthatAna
was
adamantabouttravelingwithhimtoBelém;actually,given
thenatureoftheirdomesticaffairs,itisquitedifficulttoimaginethatshewouldnothave
preferred staying in the south as he went north once again, hopefully to disappear once
andforallinthemawofAmazonianafflictions.InBelémshewouldbebeyondthereach
of Dilermando, the external niceties could be maintained, and Euclides could monitor
herbehaviormoreeasily.Theincandescent letters ofDilermando andhisdescriptions of
thetimesuggestthattheirpassionwasfueledbythedifficultiesoftheircircumstances.
35
The financial rewards would have been significant, and da Cunha was enjoying the
prospect of being the engineer who would be in charge of the project and thus continue
his own epic, but unsurprisingly, his correspondence is always tinged with depression:
“Soon I'll be back engaging once again my tragic duel with the wilderness. . . . I don't
know whether I'll triumph once again. It doesn't matter.”
36
The Madeira-Mamoré railroad, like the Panama Canal, was a huge maw that ate
men by the thousands. Accidents, malaria, yellow fever, cholera, and drowning killed
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