MISCELLANIES. 



535 



first settlers might have preventetl 

 the exposure of their good fortune, 

 had they been able to moderate 

 their joy, and consented to act in 

 concert ; but as gold was in such 

 great abundance, every individual 

 appropriated a lot of ground, and 

 thus became a capitalist. Each 

 strove which should make the 

 most of his treasure in the shortest 

 time, and thus there was a con- 

 tinual demand for more negroes, 

 more iron, &c. and, in the general 

 eagerness to obtain them, the secret 

 which all were interested in keep- 

 ing was disclosed. The Paulistas, 

 independent in spirit, and proud 

 of their wealth, were desirous of 

 giving laws to the new-comers; 

 but the latter determining to op- 

 pose this measure, formed them- 

 selves into a party under the guid- 

 ance of 3Ianual Nunez Viana, an 

 adventurer of some consequence, 

 who strenuously asserted their claim 

 to equal rights and advantages. 

 Disputes arose on both sides, and 

 were at length aggravated into 

 hostilities, which proved unfavour- 

 able to the Paulistas, the greater 

 part of whom fled to a considerable 

 station of their own, and there 

 awaited reinforcements. Viana 

 and his followers, without loss of 

 time, went in pursuit of their foes, 

 whom they found on a plain near 

 the site of St. Joao del Rey. The 

 two parties met on the borders of 

 a river, and a sanguinary battle 

 took place, which ended in the 

 defeat of the Paulistas, who after- 

 wards made the best terms they 

 could. The slain were buried on 

 the margin of the river, which, 

 from that circumstance, took the 

 name of Rio das Mortes. 



^he Paulistas, bent on revenge, 

 but weakened by defeat, appealed 



to the sovereign, King Pedro, de- 

 nouncing Viana and his followers as 

 rebels, who were attempting to take 

 the district to themselves, and set 

 upan independentgovernment. The 

 king'sministers,apprizedofthestate 

 of affairs, and learning by report 

 the immense riches of the country, 

 immediately sent a chief, with a 

 competent body of troops, to take 

 advantage of the strife between the 

 two |)arties ; which, in a country 

 tenable by a few men on account 

 of its numerous strong-holds, was 

 a most fortunate circumstance. 

 The name of this chief was Albu- 

 querque ; a man of enterprize aad 

 perseverance, in all respects quali- 

 fied for the service on which he 

 was sent. His appearance at first 

 occasioned much confusion and 

 discontent among both parties; 

 and though he was not openly op- 

 posed, yet he was in continual 

 alarm. The Paulistas now saw 

 that the riches which they in con- 

 junction with their rivals might 

 have retained, were about to be 

 seized by a third party which would 

 reduce them both to subordination. 

 Disturbances prevailed for some 

 time, but reinforcements conti- 

 nually arriving from government, 

 tranquillity was at length perfectly 

 established; and in the year 1711 

 a regular town began to be formed ; 

 a government-house, a mint, and a 

 depot for arms were built. A code 

 of laws was enacted for the regu- 

 lation of the mines ; all gold dust 

 found was ordered to be delivered 

 to officers appointed for that pur- 

 pose ; a fifth in weight was taken 

 for the king, and the remaining 

 four parts were purified, melted 

 into ingots at the expense of go- 

 vernment, then assayed, marked 

 according to their value, and deli- 

 vered 



