Journey from Villa Rica to Tejuco, the Capital of the Diamond District.

HAVING previously sent letters to his Excellency the Conde de Linhares, giving him an account of my proceedings, I set out from Villa Rica, attended by the two soldiers and my negro servant. I passed through the city of Mariana, and entered upon the plain in its vicinity already mentioned, which, in the rainy season, is often entirely overflowed. To the left I observed a beautiful and romantic mountain, called Morro de Santa Anna, on which stood many small neat houses, surrounded by coffee-plantations and orangeries; its base was watered by a corvinha, or rivulet, the banks of which contain much gold, and are worked by the inhabitants of the mount. Passing onward, the road became very confined; and the land, though now covered with wood, appeared to have been formerly under cultivation. We here met a number of mules laden with sugar, destined for Villa Rica, or, if not sold there, for Rio de Janeiro.

We arrived and refreshed at a little village called Camargo, and passed an excellent house, situated near a rivulet of that name, where there is a gold-washing, which employs about two hundred negroes, and is said to be very productive. About a league farther we passed a poor little place called Bento Rodriguez, and about six in the evening arrived at a very considerable village, called Inficionado, which contains full fifteen hundred inhabitants. It had been more populous, but its mines having decreased, it was then on the decline. Finding no inn that offered any thing tolerable, I alighted at the house of a shopkeeper, who very civilly provided me an apartment to sleep in, and introduced me at supper to his wife, and three other ladies, whose society was very pleasant and cheerful. On the next day, after some trouble, my soldiers at a late hour procured mules, when I set out about ten o’clock upon a bad road, and, after travelling half a league, arrived at the Corgo do Inficionado, a fine rivulet flowing through a country rich in gold, particularly near the village of Santa Barbara, where washings appear in all directions. From hence to the village of Catas Altas, two leagues distant, is a tract of the finest open country I ever travelled in Brazil; it has many features resembling that between Matlock and Derby, and its mountains bear a strong similarity to those of Westmoreland. There are slips in some of them in which topazes are found, but rarely any of good quality. This district appeared equally suited for mining and agriculture, the ground being rich above as well as below. The village of Catas Altas, through which we rode, contains at least two thousand inhabitants, and is situated in a populous neighbourhood. The public buildings are well constructed, and the private houses in general appear very respectable, but bear evident marks of decay. We crossed the river which is broad but shallow, and has works on its banks of greater extent and under better management than any I had hitherto seen. The whole vicinity is irrigated by numerous rivulets, many of which are diverted from their courses to a great distance for the purpose of gold-washing. In all parts, even on the tops and sides of the hills, we observed operations of this kind going on; in the valleys there were many spots still rich in gold, which had not yet been washed.

Continuing about six miles over this naked country, we entered on a more confined road, and passing a village called Cocaes, proceeded half a league further in the dark, to the mansion of Senhor Felicio, the Capitao Mor of the district, where we alighted, having travelled this day above thirty miles. On being announced, I was immediately shown up stairs into a suite of handsome apartments, furnished with great magnificence, where I was introduced by the Capitao to his amiable lady and daughter. We were joined by Dr. Gomides, a man of talents and science, with whom I entered into conversation, and who afterwards showed me a fine collection of gold in various forms, some like duck-shot, others laminated with micaceous iron, others arborescent. He had also some specimens of stalactitic matter, on which nitre was forming, others of specular iron ore, and three or four fine pieces of chrome, which I at first took for realgar. From this gentleman I received considerable information respecting the mineralogy of the country, which is so difficult to be obtained accurate, that I found reason to reject all which did not correspond with what I saw. In the course of the evening the party was joined by the Count de Oeyenhausen, who commands a corps of cavalry in the district. He made many enquiries of me respecting England, that being the country in which he had received his education, and to which he seemed as much attached as to his native soil.

This large establishment, though still rich in gold, is worked by only two hundred negroes. One part of the estate is an auriferous mountain of schistus, containing beds of micaceous iron ore; the latter substance forms a thin stratum, which contains gold in grains laminated with it. It is singular to remark, that the cascalho, which generally, nay, almost invariably occurs in ravines and low situations, is here found at a very small depth below the surface on the summit.

The discovery of the original gold mine in this rich sesmaria, is said to have been owing to the following accident. Some negroes employed in clearing the land, broke up an ant-hill of considerable size, when, on laying it open to the air, for the purpose of destroying or dispersing the insects, large grains of gold were found. It is, however, highly probable that the general characteristics of the soil had led to the discovery long before this period, and that the accident here related, served only to indicate the presence of gold in a part which had not been supposed to contain any. The estate is situated almost in the centre of the mining country, and is reputed one of the richest portions of it. The owner and his brother, who are partners, have conducted their concerns in a liberal way, and are said to be very wealthy. It was my wish to have staid a day or two for the purpose of inspecting the extensive works which they have opened; but I forebore to make any request of this nature, as I perceived, or supposed, some little jealousy or suspicion respecting my views. It seemed to be the opinion here, as well as in other places, that I had a mission from Government, authorizing me to enquire into the state of the mines, and give a report concerning them.

In riding past the works, after having taken leave of the Capitao I did not perceive any machinery used for facilitating manual labor. The tedious process of washing by hand was most generally practised; in some instances inclined canoes were used, which, if carried to the degree of improvement of which they are susceptible, might much more effectually answer the purpose.

Between the mountain on Capitao Felicio’s estate and the village of SabarÁ is a rich mining district, which extends also to Bromare, over a continuation of hilly country. It is occupied by several opulent miners, who possess many fine grounds still unworked. A tract of land a few miles in extent is appropriated to agricultural purposes, being reputed to be destitute of gold.

I proceeded four leagues, over a well-watered and finely-wooded country, to a hamlet called Vaz, a name which had become familiar to my ear through the frequent mention which my soldiers made of “the good old man of Vaz.” This person, whose reception of me fully justified the appellation with which he had been distinguished, was a farmer from Oporto, who had been resident here about forty years. He bought the estate with twenty negroes upon it, and paid for it by yearly instalments in twenty years afterwards. This mode of disposing of estates is much practised, being at once easy to the purchaser, and advantageous to the seller, as it ensures to the latter a better price than he could obtain on the condition of immediate payment. The house, which is well-built and convenient, has a sugar-mill and distillery attached to it. The sugar is generally sent to Rio, under an agreement with the carrier, giving him half or sometimes two-thirds of the proceeds, with a promise of back-carriage of salt, iron, and other commodities.

Owing to the kind assiduities of my worthy host, the evening passed very agreeably. Many of the neighbours came to see and converse with me, as I was the first Englishman, or perhaps foreigner, who had ever travelled so far into the interior. Their curiosity led them to examine almost every implement I carried with me; my saddle, bridle, and stirrups, were viewed with great attention; nor could they imagine how it was possible to sit in the former with any degree of safety. There was no convincing them that it was much preferable to the Portuguese saddle, which has a ridge about eight inches high, both before and behind, so that the rider is, as it were, in the stocks, and, though not so liable to be thrown out, has a most galling and uncomfortable seat.

The next morning I visited the negroes’ houses, and was much pleased to find one set apart for the reception of poor distressed travelling negroes, who here find a fatherly protection, and are allowed to stay as long a time as may suit their necessities. On taking leave of the good old gentleman, I could not prevail on him to accept any remuneration for his kindness, and he replied to my thanks with the warmest assurances of welcome. I crossed a fine stream, and rode through several plantations of sugar-cane, which were at this season nearly ready for cutting. The country, as we proceeded, gradually became more mountainous, and abounded with argillaceous schistus very full of quartz. After riding about sixteen miles, we saw a very singular mountain, or bare rock of granite, called ItambÉ, forming part of a high ridge which lay on our left. About four o’clock we arrived at a poor village, also called ItambÉ, situated near a fine river of the same name. This place was formerly of some consequence, but as the gold in its vicinity failed, it sunk into poverty and wretchedness. It contains about a thousand inhabitants, who, degraded to the lowest stage of inactive apathy, looked as if they were the ghosts of their progenitors haunting the ruins of their departed wealth.

Every thing about them bore a cheerless aspect; the houses were ready to fall to the ground through want of repair; the door-places were overgrown with grass, and the patches of garden-ground that here and there appeared, were covered with weeds. The face of the country, too, was entirely different from that which I had passed on my way hither, being universally sterile, dry, and stony. It may well be supposed, from this description, that our accommodations here were of the worst kind: we halted at a miserable abode, where they offered us some mouldy Indian corn and feijones, and, after a great deal of difficulty, procured us a fowl. My servant was obliged to clean all the utensils before they could be used; and the soldiers while cooking, were obliged to guard the pot lest some half-famished prowler should steal it. The commandant of the place, with whom we had afterwards some conversation, answered our remarks on the visible signs of starvation in the looks of the villagers, by coolly saying, “While they get Indian corn to eat, and water to drink, they will not die of hunger.” I was glad to depart from this home of famine as fast as possible, heartily joining in the exclamation which the Portuguese have bestowed upon it; “Das mizerias de ItambÉ libera nos Domine!”—(From the miseries of ItambÉ the Lord deliver us!)

After riding about five miles, we came to the River Das Onzas, so named from the numbers of those animals which formerly infested its banks. Changing our mules at a village called Lagos, cosisting of a few miserable fazendas, we proceeded a league over a most rugged and mountainous road, and passing a ridge, entered on a fine country, presenting to view a grand picturesque mountain nearly a league distant from us; about mid-way up was a large house, to which we directed our course. We forded a rather deep river called Rio Negro, on account of the blackness of its waters, caused by the decomposition of bituminous or vegetable matter. Its margin, along which we rode for some distance, presented some fine grazing land. Passing through a broken and irregular tract of country, we arrived at another deserted village called Gaspar Soares, and rode up to the house above-mentioned, the owner of which was from home, but his lady received me very politely. Having arrived rather early in the evening, I employed myself some time in walking about the grounds: the mountain on which the house stands consists almost entirely of micaceous iron ore[41]; the wall before the door of the house was built of that substance. In some parts, to my great surprise, I observed it lying in regular strata, not more than an inch in thickness, between beds of white sand. The quantity of ore found in this neighbourhood is so considerable as to have induced Government to commence an iron-work, under the direction of Dr. Manoel Ferreira da Camara, Intendant of the Diamond District. In aid of this undertaking, the gentleman, at whose house I was a guest, has presented a square league of woodland, the only tract of that description in the neighbourhood. The ground for the intended works is marked out, and a few blocks of stone are prepared; but the undertaking seems to go on very slowly, and probably will not arrive at any great degree of perfection.

This hill and the streams near it were formerly rich in gold, but they have been completely washed, and are at present as much exhausted as the works at ItambÉ. A rivulet which runs over the top of the hill afforded conveniences for washing, which are very rarely to be met with; it is now intended to be converted to the use of the iron manufactory.

On the following day I continued my route northerly, over a fine country, and, after riding, or rather walking, about six miles of bad road with wretched mules, ascended a hill abounding with rich compact iron ore. Two leagues of the way were covered with excellent oxide of iron, and it appeared as if the hills were entirely covered with that substance. Without any material occurrence, we arrived at a beautiful rivulet, near which stood a miserable hut, where two women were weaving cotton. This place, apparently so insignificant, proved one of the most interesting, in a mineralogical point of view, which I had hitherto visited. It is called Lagos, and also bears the name of Ouro Branco (White Gold), in allusion to a granular substance, not unlike gold in size and weight, found in a gold-washing in the bed of the stream. This substance, which has since been proved to be platina, was discovered many years ago in the cascalho below the vegetable earth, and incumbent on the solid rock, accompanied with gold and black oxide of iron. From these circumstances the people judged it to be gold united with some other metal, from which it could not be separated; and, as the quantity of real gold found was small, and the white gold, as they called it, was not known to be of value, the work was gradually neglected, and at length abandoned. I procured a specimen of the substance: it appeared accompanied with osmium and iridium, and was in rougher grains than the platina brought from the province of Choco; which latter circumstance may be owing to its not having been triturated with mercury. Now that the substance is known to be platina, it is doubtful whether the work might be resumed with advantage, as the demand for that article is at present so small, that the quantity sold would hardly pay expenses. Near this place is a work called Mata Cavallos.

The rivulet of Lagos empties itself into the Rio de St. Antonio, along which we rode a small distance, and proceeding about four miles farther, arrived at ConceiÇÃo, a large and tolerably handsome village. I was conducted to the house of the curate, who kindly assigned to me an apartment for the night, and, perceiving that I was unwell, gave me an invitation to rest a day, which I very gladly accepted.

I here received many visits from the villagers, whose curiosity had been excited by the news of an Englishman having arrived: some of them were upwards of eighty years of age, and, as they had resided here more than fifty, they were able to give many curious accounts of the country, and of the progress and decline of its mines. I was much pleased with the information they communicated, but more so with the attention of the good curate, who corrected every misrepresentation, and seemed anxious that I should not be led into error, either through accident or design. By some means or other, an opinion circulated among them that I was a medical man, and numbers of infirm persons, principally old men, women, and children, were brought to me for advice. In the evening we were entertained with music by some of the younger females, who brought their guitars, and sung several pleasing airs.

I was here shown a Buticudo Indian boy, apparently about nine years of age, who had been taken about six months before. He could not utter a word of Portuguese; but, from the expression of his countenance, his mind seemed capable of receiving any tuition. His eyes had so much vivacity in them that they almost spoke, especially when his attention was attracted by any thing agreeable, as I found by offering him a few sweetmeats, with which he seemed much delighted. I examined his features and the construction of his frame with some curiosity, as exhibiting the characteristics of the singular race of men from whom he sprung. The face was short, the mouth rather wide, the nose broad, the eyes large and black, skin of a dusky copper color, hair jet-black, strong, straight, and of regular length, limbs stout and well-proportioned, feet large, probably from going without shoes. He lived with a poor woman, who clothed and brought him up exactly as one of her family. On enquiring how he came there, I was informed that he belonged to a party of Indians who were surprised at a place about six leagues distant, and all either fell or escaped, except this little fellow, who was taken care of, and brought hither by an officer resident in the village.

Being still too unwell to travel, I remained another day, and met with every attention and care from the good clergyman and his housekeeper. In the course of conversation, he informed me that he studied and had been ordained at S. Paulo; and when he learnt that I had been there so recently, seemed much pleased, and asked me many questions respecting the present state of that city, which showed his attachment to it as the scene of his youthful days.

About a week previous to my arrival, this village was the scene of a somewhat remarkable adventure. A tropeiro[42] going to Rio de Janeiro with some loaded mules, was overtaken by two cavalry soldiers, who ordered him to surrender his fowling-piece; which being done, they bored the butt-end with a gimblet, and finding it hollow, took off the iron from the end, where they found a cavity containing about three hundred carats of diamonds, which they immediately seized. The man in vain protested his innocence, stating that he had bought the gun of a friend: he was hurried away, and thrown into prison at Tejuco, where I afterwards saw him. The diamonds were confiscated, and the soldiers received half their value. The fate of this man is a dreadful instance of the rigor of the existing laws: he will forfeit all his property, and be confined, probably, for the remainder of his days in a loathsome prison, among felons and murderers. What must be the feelings (if, indeed, he can be said to possess any) of the fellow who betrayed him; for, doubtless, the poor man owed his misfortune to some secret villain, in the shape of a confidential friend, who, having learned his mode of carrying diamonds concealed, had, for the sake of a paltry premium, or from some mean spirited motive, given notice of it to Government! How must the miscreant recoil at having brought to irreparable ruin, and plunged into that lowest state of human misery, perpetual imprisonment, a man who not only claimed his sympathy as a fellow-creature, but was united to him by the ties of friendship!

The village of ConceiÇÃo, seemed to me large enough to contain two thousand inhabitants, but, like most others in this exhausted district, it was fast hastening to decay. The rent of a tolerable house is about two shillings a month. The only manufacture carried on here is that of a little cotton, which is spun by the hand and woven into coarse shirting. It appears to be a maxim among the inhabitants rather to go naked, than labor to clothe themselves. The vestiges of old gold-washings in every direction, and the slight quantities still found in all parts, from the summits of the mountains to their bases, might almost lead a traveller to conclude that the whole country was at one period auriferous. The surface is in general fine red earth, and in many parts presents fine situations for iron works, as there is ore and wood in abundance. It is much to be wished that such works were established; for iron is so dear at ConceiÇÃo, and the people in general so poor, that the mules have seldom a shoe to their feet, which is irksome to the riders, and dangerous to the animals themselves, as they are continually coming down, particularly when ascending a clay-hill, after a shower of rain.

Neither here, nor in any other part of my journey from Villa Rica, did I observe any limestone, though I was informed that considerable quantities were found near SabarÁ.

Taking leave of the worthy curate, I set out for TapinhoÁ-canga[43], distant about thirty miles. After an unpleasant ride through a rough stony country, abounding in quartz laminated with schistus, I reached a village called Corvos, where there are some gold-washings, one of which produced, about half a year ago, a net profit of £800, though only four negroes were employed a month upon it. The road to the village above mentioned led through a most uneven tract, presenting formidable precipices, which required us to travel with so much caution, that we did not complete our journey until an hour after sun-set. I was received into a very respectable house, which had the appearance of former opulence. The owner, Captain Bom-jardim, a venerable old gentleman, came to welcome me: on entering into conversation, he informed me that he had emigrated hither from Oporto at the age of seventeen, and had lived here sixty-two years. He was tempted to settle here by the hope of participating in the rich treasures for which the country was then famed; but he arrived two or three years too late: the mines were already on the decline, and he was obliged to turn his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he persevered with such success that he was enabled to realize a comfortable independency, and to bring up a numerous family in credit and respectability. It had been well if his neighbours had profited by so eminent an example, instead of deserting the country when the gold on its surface disappeared. That many did so was evident from the declining state of the village; a great number of its houses were falling to decay, others were untenanted, and its population, which formerly amounted to near three thousand, was dwindled to a third of that amount.

Continuing my journey next day, I crossed the ridge of a lofty chain of mountains, abounding with streams, that were much swoln in consequence of the late rains; one of the largest, called Rio dos Peixes, I forded thrice, and entered on a wide champaign country. In many parts I saw large tracts of bare places, where the grit-stone alternated with argillaceous schistus. The next ten miles led through an elevated and fertile plain, intersected with rivulets in every direction, and well calculated for farming, but very thinly inhabited. Early in the afternoon I reached an eminence, from which I had a fine view of Villa do Principe, situated on the rise of a lofty hill opposite, the base of which was washed by a rivulet called Corvinho dos Quatro Vintens[44]. On arriving in the town, I was conducted to the house of the governor, or chief magistrate, who received me very politely, and introduced me to his lady and a party of friends, with whom I took tea.

Villa do Principe was established as a comarco, or district, in the year 1730, when the gold-washings were most productive: but it dates its origin fifteen years earlier, at which period the place was discovered by the Paulistas, who had then commenced to migrate from Villa Rica and the adjacent settlements. The town at present contains about five thousand inhabitants, the most considerable proportion of whom are shopkeepers, and the rest artisans, farmers, miners, and laborers. Here is a house of permutation, to which every miner in the district brings the gold he obtains, and pays the royal fifth, as is done in Villa Rica. The ouvidor holds the office of mint-master, which renders his situation one of the best in the gift of the crown. Here are several inferior officers belonging to various departments of the public service. As this town is situated very near the confines of the Diamond District, and on the high road leading to it, the strictest regulations prevail respecting the passage of all persons thither. No one, except travellers on business, with certificates to that effect, is suffered to proceed, until a formal notification has been made to the governor of that district; the laws of which are so strict, that any person found within it, out of the regular road, is liable to be apprehended on suspicion, and subjected to an examination, which frequently occasions much trouble and delay.

The country around Villa do Principe is very fine and open, being free from those impenetrable woods, which occur so frequently in other parts of the province. Its soil is in general very productive, and the climate mild and salubrious.

At a washing about six leagues distant, a lump of gold was found of several pounds weight. From the same place I procured some above two ounces, and obtained the large crystals now in my possession, one of which is considered unique.

I quitted Villa do Principe about noon on the day following, after making my acknowledgments for the polite attentions of the governor, who kindly sent a servant to attend me the first league of the road. This man I commissioned, under a promise of pecuniary recompence, to collect for me land-shells and insects, against my return, which I expected would take place in two or three months; and, from the aptness with which he received my directions, (joined to the prospect of emolument), I had little doubt but that he would attend to them.

As we journeyed on, I perceived that the country bore an aspect entirely different from that in the neighbourhood of Villa do Principe: its surface, consisting of coarse sand and rounded quartz pebbles, was almost destitute of wood or herbage. One hillock near the road exhibited perpendicular laminÆ of micaceous grit, which, on alighting from my horse and examining, I found to be flexible. My soldier, hearing me remark that the country bore characteristics which I had never observed elsewhere, exclaimed, “Senhor, we are in the Diamond District.” This circumstance, which I had not before thought of, fully accounted for the change. We travelled over a very sterile country for the first four leagues, and passed several high mountains. Towards the close of the day we reached an eminence, from which we beheld a most romantic cluster of dwellings, resembling a labyrinth, or a negroes-town in Africa. We descended the hill, and approached the place; when, it being nearly dark, I was conducted to a house much larger than any of the others, where I learnt that the establishment was a diamond-work called San Gonzales, the first which occurs in the Serro do Frio. It has been some time on the decline, and employs about 200 negroes. The intendant, a very intelligent man, had been apprised of our coming by a letter from the governor at Tejuco, and gave me a very friendly reception. While engaged in conversation with him, I observed (it being now moon-light) some fine cows in front of the premises, and concluded that they were come to be milked, but this I understood was not the case. They were licking the doorposts and sides of the houses, with much apparent eagerness, and, on enquiring what this signified, I was told that they wanted salt. They were so tame and gentle that, on holding out my hand, they licked it; when, being desirous to see the effect which salt produced on them, I procured some, and gave them a handful: but they became so very unruly for more, that had I not immediately desisted and retired, their fury might have produced serious consequences. This article is so necessary for the support of the cattle, that their very existence depends on it, yet it is encumbered with a heavier duty than any other article of import, iron alone excepted. Surely, when it is considered that vast herds are daily sent from this province to Rio de Janeiro, each paying a toll of nearly twelve shillings on crossing the river Paraibuna, the impolicy of this duty must be self-evident, because, in raising the price of the commodity to an excessive degree, it checks the breed of cattle, and thus ultimately defeats the purpose for which it was imposed.

The next day, before we left this romantic place, I devoted some time to an examination of the refuse-hillocks contiguous to the diamond-works, but found nothing among the heaps of quartzose stones, which had been washed when this place was more in repute. I here noticed a thin stratum below the roots of the grass, which I had elsewhere seen, but never so distinctly characteristic. It is called bergalhÃo, and consists of quartz pebbles, generally angular, and not unfrequently large beds of solid quartz not more than four or five inches thick. This stratum does not appear to have been formed at the same time, or by the same means as the cascalho, from which it is invariably separated by a stratum of vegetable earth unequal in thickness; it has more the appearance of a thin bed of quartz subsequently shattered into innumerable fragments.

Having taken leave of the administrator, I proceeded through a continuation of mountains and sterile country, very thinly inhabited. I stopt at one of the best of the few miserable houses on the road to procure some refreshment. There was a half-starved cat in the door-way, the sight of which plainly evinced to me what I had to expect. Poor animal, thought I, the habitation in which thou existest, will not afford maintenance for a mouse, much less for thee! While musing on this picture of distress and famine, a poor meagre woman came to the door, of whom I requested a little water, which she brought me, and while I was drinking it she began to implore charity. Her countenance had already expressed what her tongue now uttered: I gave her the few provisions my soldiers had with them, together with a small piece of money, and took leave;—the last words I heard from her were those of gratitude.

Ere we arrived at this place, we had seen Tejuco at full twelve miles’ distance, and were now much nearer. We crossed two rapid rivulets, one of them called Rio Negro, the waters of which were of a very black color, and afterwards passed a guard-house, or register, called Milho Verde, situated near a stream of the same name, formerly much noted for diamonds. Here a band of soldiers are stationed, who are always on the alert, riding after and examining passengers. The country is extremely rough, and destitute of vegetation, covered in all directions with grit-stone rocks full of rounded quartzose pebbles. We rode two miles along the Corvinho de St. Francisco, which runs through the ravine at the foot of the mountain on the side of which Tejuco is built, presenting much the same appearance as Villa Rica. I entered the town, and took up my abode at the best inn, which contained some neat rooms, and afforded tolerable accommodations.

This was Sunday the 17th of September, being one month since my departure from Rio de Janeiro, during which period I had been almost continually on horseback; for the time I remained at Villa Rica was principally occupied in journies to various places in the neighbourhood.