170 AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



traversing tlie eastern slope of the Espiahaço range here penetrates to the 

 northern mining region through Lijicionado, Cattas Alfas, Santa Barbara, Itahira 

 do Matto Dentro, Conceiçun, and Serro, all of which places occupy upland valleys 

 watered by the bead stream s of the Rio Doce. Serro still possesses some gold and 

 diamond mines, but it now depends chiefly on its agricultural resources. 



Diamantina, formerly Tijnco, lies in the upper Jequitinhonha valley, but its 

 commercial relations are chiefly with Rio de Janeiro through the S. Francisco 

 basin. The jdeld of its diamond mines has fallen from about o-C1dO,000 to less 

 than £40,000 a year. Farther north the formerly flourishing town of Grào Mogol 

 has been nearly abandoned. 



In the Upper Rio das Yelhas valley are several thriving places, such as Sahara 

 at the head of the navigation, whose highly productive gold mines, especially 

 Morro Velho, near Villa Nova de Lima, are now worked by some wealthy English 

 companies. Villa Nova is well known to mineralogists by its old name of Con- 

 gonhas de Sahara. Morro Velho employs from 1,500 to 2,000 hands, and at pre- 

 sent has an average annual yield of about £80,000 ; if fully worked the output 

 might exceed £280,000. 



About eight miles from the railway west of Sahara lies the healthy plateau of 

 Bcdlo Horisoute, one of the sites which have been proposed for the future capital of 

 Minas Geraes. The pure waters of the district already surveyed would suffice for 

 the requirements of a city of 450,000 inhabitants. A narrow valley on the oppo- 

 site side of Sahara is occupied by the mining village of Gaetlié, which abounds in 

 asbestos. 



Santa Lu^ia, below Sahara on the Rio des Velhas, lies near Lagoa Santa, where 

 Lund passed many years exploring the surrounding caves. The jasper beds 

 in the neighbourhood supply the material for the statuettes and other objects 

 executed by the local artists. Farther on, Parauna, " Black Water," on the 

 affluent of like name, has also been mentioned as a favourable site for the 

 future capital of the State, of which it occupies the geometrical centre. 



In the northern section of Minas Geraes the towns of Montes Claros das 

 Formigas at the head of the Rio Verde, and Paracatu, formerly Piracafu, near the 

 Goyaz frontier, have become flourishing centres of the cattle trade. Like those of 

 Lagoa Santa, the Montes Claros cliffs are pierced by numerous caves, in whicb 

 have been found the remains of the megalonyx and other extinct animals. 



Towns of Bahia and Sergipe. 



Below the Velhas confluence, where stands the little-frequented port of Guai- 

 vuhij, Januaria, or Salgado, is the last place on the S. Francisco within the Minas 

 Geraes frontier. In the State of Bahia follow Carinhanha ; Bom Jesus de Lapa 

 with its "miraculous" grotto; Urubu, the "Vulture" town, facing Mount Pernam- 

 buco ; Barra, at the Rio Grande confluence, chief place in the western districts of 

 Bahia ; Pilao Arcado, lower down on the left bank, a great centre of the salt 

 industry. Here are vast beds of native salt still untouched by the miner. 



