276 



AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



round Diamantina, indicating the limits of the interdicted territory. Within 

 these limits nobody could dig the foundations of a house excejit in the presence 

 of an inspector and three other officials. 



The diamond streams were reserved for certain privileged persons liable to a 

 poll-tax on the number of hands employed. Later the deposits were leased to 

 farmers-general, and at last the King of Portugal had all the mines worked on 

 his own account. At present the industry has been declared free. The term 



Fig. 119. — Chief Mines of Brazil. 

 Scale 1 : 45,000,000. 



Gold. Diamrinils. Silver. Copper. Iron. 



.i_i_..i_^.B_BB» 620 Miles. 



Coal. 



catas, figuring on the maps in several parts of Brazil, means "excavations," and 

 has reference to the old gold or diamond diffffinffs. 



These gems have also been found in Matto Grosso, and (1845) in the Chapada 

 Diamantina of western Bahia. But operations are, for the most part, carried on 

 without method, and by primitive processes. The stones occur in association 

 with other gravels, both in the conglomerates of paleozoic origin, and in more 

 recent rocks derived from the triturated fragments of primitive strata. But they 



