312 TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



which consists of one long principal street, with huts 

 built closely together on each side, and some by- 

 streets, is one of the most important towns in the 

 whole province. In age it rivals the capital. At the 

 time when the thirst of gold incited a number of 

 Paulistas to undertake dangerous and adventurous 

 excursions through Minas and Goyaz, the inhabit- 

 ants of Taubate distinguished themselves.* On 

 this account a government establishment for re- 

 fining gold was founded here. The inhabitants of 

 Taubate {Taubatenos), however, were thereby 

 engaged in violent competition and implacable feud 

 with the neighbouring Paulistas (Firathiinganos), 

 so that whenever the two parties met in their ex- 

 cursions sanguinary contests always ensued. This 

 enmity is said still to continue in silence, though 

 the inhabitants of Taubate have now entirely re- 

 nounced the occupation of gold-washing in other 

 provinces, and follow agriculture and breeding of 

 cattle in their own country, which is quite destitute 

 of that precious metal. The women manufacture 

 mats out of a large aristida and other species of 

 grass growing in the neighbourhood, which are 

 sent to Rio for sale. 



We halted one day at Taubate, in order to dry 

 our effects, which were quite soaked through. The 

 house, which an inhabitant of the village shared 

 with us, was but ill calculated to afford us comfort- 



* Antonio Rodriguez, one of the first discoverers of the 

 gold mines at Minas (1693) was a native of Taubate. 



