398 Discovery of the Province of Minas Geraes. [Aprijl, 



It had always been forbidden to extract gold from those places exclusively 

 allotted to the royal company for that ])urpose. The company itself did not 

 extract gold, but merely diamonds ; however, the Tntendente* Camera deter- 

 mined, that not solely the Extracaof should extract gold together with the 

 diamonds, but granted permission to the inhabitants to draw gold from the 

 cascalho whence the Adminislracao da Exlracao Diamantin (administration for 

 the extraction of diamonds) had taken diamonds, with the condition that they 

 should give notice of all the diamonds they might find there. 



He distributed, by letters patent, most of the lavras of the diamond district; 

 but these allotments are not after the same model as those made by the Gnardas 

 Mores, which pass to the heirs as proprietors, while the others devolve to the 

 crown when abandoned by the master. This act of the Intendente was very 

 important for the province, not only because many persons drew profits from 

 the gold they extracted, but, moreover, because the undertakings for diamonds 

 began to be insured by those for gold, the latter being frequently found where no 

 diamonds existed. 



It is not possible to fix the relative richness, but Felix Pereire, in 1781, drew 

 from his lavra thirty-six arrobas (1 170 lbs.) of gold in three months, and the 

 number of jjeoplc who came to him for the precious metal was so great, that 

 he asked and obtained of the governor a company of soldiers for his security, 

 whom he paid at his own expense, (The mania of keeping many slaves has 

 reduced his heirs to poverty.) P. Monica Joaquimea, with 100 slaves, ex- 

 tracted from his lavra in Macaoas more than forty arrobas (1300 pounds) in 

 three years, but the richness disappeared or was not followed. In 180:3, 

 Joaquin Jose d'Almeida drew from a mine in Morro da Cavaca more than 

 twenty arrobas (650 pounds) in two years ; his mine then began to be difficult 

 to extract from, owing to a great overflow of water, and from his being liti- 

 gious with respect to its limits. The Captain Major Baptista has drawn and 

 continues to draw many arrobas (32| pounds each) every year ; he is the only 

 miner of consequence in the province. 



It is not necessary to extract arrobas such as those tp make large profits in 

 mining ; a lavra which produces at the rate of l-5000th is very rich ; and of this 

 kind there are a great number, which respectively can give 300 per cent, benefit, 

 when well mined, and when every thing is managed with economy. 



Platina has been found in several parts of the mountains of Mendanhn Dis- 

 tricto Diamantino ; two ounces were extracted by order of the intendant 

 Camara, which he presented to the King of Portugal in 1813; that wise ma- 

 gistrate thought such sort of mining ought to be encouraged. In Ita-bira of 

 Matto-dentro, it is extracted jointly .with gold, in the valley of the tract of 

 Oiro branco ; spangles of this precious metal gave the name of oiro branco, 

 (white gold) to the place, as the miners do not distinguish gold from platina. 



There is much silver in the province — it is already known in three p! ices : 

 in Rio da Praia, iu Serro do frio, where it was discovered by the Doctor Vierra 

 Coito, and in the tract of Andaya, where it is mixed with lead and tin. The 

 Baron of Echeweg, a German, formerly charged by the government to explore 

 these mines, has ascertained, that from two arrobas (65 pounds) of galena 

 (sulphurated lead) of Aadaya, there cm be extracted four drachms of silver, 

 three pounds of tin, and twelve of lead. This chain is extremely wide, and 

 spread into the forest called Da Corda in an indefinite tract. 



In 1812, his Portuguese Majesty ordered the extraction of galena, wishing 

 to coin silver money ; but the events consequent on the occupation of Por- 

 tugal by the French paralyzed many useful institutions. 



There are houses and a road finished, a good deal of galena drawn, a con- 

 siderable quantity of charcoal — but all is deserted. 



The sands of the river Paraybeba, which runs near Oiro preto, abound in tin 

 of a very good quality ; we are indebted to Francisco Barboza for this dis- 

 covery, who, wishing to ascertain the cause of these sands being so heavy, 



* The chief director of the imperial administration. 



f Extracao means the administration of the companies on the government's account. 



