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 regis 
tered in the State of Minas Geraes 437 claims. 
Travel along the coast and to the cities lo 
cated on the railway lines is comparatively 
convenient and comfortable although very ex 
pensive. 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