264 Discovery of the Provime of Minas Geraes. [Marcu, 



established, through all the Povoa^aons, houses for the exchange of gold, 

 similar to those which had been created in 1808 for issuing notes. 

 Such is the existing system for the small quantity of gold which is now 

 dug from the mines. 



Those determinations of government, though unconfirmed by any 

 law or decree, subsist in their full force. It must be observed, that 

 the mints are unemployed, owing to the want of gold for melting. 



On the Lavras, and the manner of obtaining them. 

 When a person knew where gold was to be found, he applied to the 

 Goarda Mor (guard-major) of the district, to grant him lands at the 

 place indicated. The Goarda Mor had to verify by his books that 

 those lands had not been gi-anted to any other individual ; he then 

 proceeded to the cession of the spot, marking with stone boundaries 

 what he accorded, and referring to rivers, mountains, rocks, and other 

 natural circumstances. This survey being finished, he gave a patent to 

 the person, by whicli he could possess, mine, or sell the mineral lands 

 in question. He also granted waters, for which he gave titles that deter- 

 mined the plan of the river or of the valley, from whence the occupier 

 might conduct aqueducts for digging his lands. These patents are often 

 as valuable as those of the Lavras, as without water there is no mining. 

 Nothing could prevent these concessions, even when the ground was the 

 property of cultivators, since the miner, if he chose, might, for the 

 benefit of his Lavra, destroy the culture of the adjoining proprietor, 

 provided he reimbursed him for the consequent losses. 



If a miner draws water from another's neighbouring aqueduct, he is 

 responsible for the loss of water he causes him. A miner who has once 

 used his waters for washing his Lavras is no more master of them ; 

 any other can ask for the dormentes and vasantes ;* the Goarda Mor can 

 make out a fresh title to them, and the new proprietor sell, give, and 

 make use of them, as if they had been originally granted him. As soon 

 as the Goarda Mor has surveyed the first datta for the person who has 

 discovered some, he is bound by the law to survey another, contiguous 

 to the first, for the crown, to give notice of it to the superintendent, and 

 deliver him the title for selling it by public auction, and the product is 

 poured into the coffers of the fifth. 



By a decree of 1817, the right of granting lands and waters was 

 withdrawn from the goardas mores, but they retained all their other 

 privileges. 



Extent of the Province — its Rivers — Mountains — Metallic Pr-oduciions — 



Povoacoens, Sfc. 



Tlie province of Minas Geraes is three hundred leagues long, from 

 north to south, two hundred and sixty from east to west, and is capable 

 of being extended on both sides, so as gradually to civilize the Boteciidos, 

 anthropophagi who inhabit the extensive forests that surround the 

 province, particularly in the east. 



It has two cities, Marianna, the residence of the bishop, and the 

 imperial city of Oiro ptrto, where the civil, militarj', and judicial autho- 

 rities reside, and waere the exchequer is established. 



It is divided into five Comarias, which are Oiro preto, Rio das Velhas, 



* The waters that flow during the night are ca]\ed dormentes, fmdvasaMes means 

 those that are stiperabundant. 



