MISCELLANIES. 



635 



by means of conduits to all parts, 

 and public fountains were erected 

 in the most convenient aad central 

 situations. The mint and smelt- 

 ing-houses were enlarged, and 

 rendered more commodious for the 

 transaction of business. About 

 this period the inhabitants amount- 

 ed to twelve thousand or upwards ; 

 those who possessid mines were 

 either the first settlers or their de- 

 scendants, and as the best part of 

 the district was occupied, the new 

 adventurers who continued to 

 arrive from time to time were 

 obliged to enter into the service of 

 the existing owners until they had 

 learned their methods of working, 

 after which they ge.ierally went 

 ill search of fresh mines, proceed- 

 ing along the water-courses and 

 ravines, where they sometimes dis- 

 covered new sources of wealth. 

 Betweeo the years 1730 and 1750 

 the mines were in the height of 

 their prosperity ; the king's fifth 

 during some years of that period is 

 eaid to have amounted to at least a 

 million sterling annuall}\ 



The mines which produced this 

 immense wealth at length became 

 gradually less abundant; and, as 

 the precious metal disappeared, 

 numbers of the miners retired, 

 some to the mother-country, load- 

 ed with riches, which tempted 

 fresh adventurers, and many to 

 Rio de Janeiro and other sea-ports, 

 where they employed their large 

 capitals in commerce. 



Villa Rica at the present day 

 scarcely retains a shadow of its 

 former splendor. Its inhabitants, 

 with the exception of the shop- 

 keepers, are void of employment; 

 they totally neglect the fine coun- 

 try around them, which, by proper 

 cultivation, would amply compen- 



sate for the loss of the wealth 

 which their ancestors drew from its 

 bosom. Their education, their 

 habits, their hereditary prejudices, 

 alike unfit them for active life ; 

 perpetually indulging in visionary 

 prospects of sudden wealth, they 

 fancy themselves exempted from 

 that universal law of nature which 

 ordains that man shall live by the 

 sweat of his brow. In contemplat- 

 ing the fortunes accumulated by 

 their predecessors, they overlook 

 the industry and perseverance 

 which obtained them, and entirely 

 lose sight of the change of circum- 

 stances which renders those quali- 

 ties now doubly necessary. 



Diamond Mink. 



(From the same.) 



The continual fatigues, and want 

 of accommodation on the journey, 

 had rendered me very unwell, and 

 I was therefore desirous of resting 

 a week at Tejuco before I pro- 

 ceeded to the diamond mines ; but, 

 learning that I had been expected 

 for the last two or three days, I 

 sent one of my soldiers up to the 

 house of Mr. Fernando de Camara, 

 the governor, to announce my ar- 

 rival, and to state, that I was pre- 

 vented by indisposition from per- 

 sonally paying my respects to him. 

 He immediately came with a few 

 friends to visit me, gave me a most 

 hearty welcome to Tejuco, and 

 staid with me at least three hours. 

 I delivered to him my public and 

 private letters, passports, and other 

 credentials, which he perused with 

 great satisfaction, observing to the 

 Ouvidor and his friends, that 1 

 possessed the same privileges which 



they 



