24  SELLING  LATIN  AMERICA

the  fact  that  these  mines  are  still  productive,
there  were  registered  456  claims  in  1909  in  the
Diamanta  Districts,  which  produced  $1,000,-000
  worth  of  gems.  In  1911  there  were  registered ­
  in  the  State  of  Minas  Geraes  437  claims.
Travel  along  the  coast  and  to  the  cities  located ­
  on  the  railway  lines  is  comparatively
convenient  and  comfortable  although  very  expensive. ­
  In  the  interior  and  from  the  beaten
paths  it  is  difficult  and  filled  with  hardships.
Living  is  high—much  more  so  than  in  the
larger  cities  of  the  States  or  Europe.  Hotels
are  far  from  the  standard  one  is  accustomed  to
in  towns  of  corresponding  size,  throughout
the  world—a  statement  equally  true  of  all
Latin  America.
At  first  the  monetary  system  of  Brazil  may
confuse  one,  its  currency  being  on  the  gold
exchange  basis.  A  milreis  is  the  unit  of  value
and  while  it  is  subject  to  fluctuation,  may  for
all  practical  purposes  be  reckoned  as  worth
.33%  cents,  or  three  milreis  as  the  equivalent
of  a  United  States  dollar.  The  symbol  for
the  unit  is  $  and  the  value  of  our  dollar  would