DIAMOND: OCCURRENCE IN BRAZIL 169 



Another party of workers on the right is engaged in filHng up the bateas with fresh material 

 from the " cascalho " heaped up on the banks of the stream, and carrying them down when 

 filled to the workers standing in the water. The negroes are all the time under the strict 

 supervision of overseers armed with whips, whose duty it is to urge on the workers and to 

 guard against thieving ; in order to minimise opportunities for stealing, the clothing of the 

 negroes is of the scantiest description. Each time a stone is found the worker, by raising 

 his hand, signs to the overseer, who takes possession of the treasure. This picture in which 

 the overseers are armed with whips dates back to the days of slavery ; since the emanci- 

 pation of the slaves such coercive measures have, of course, been discontinued, but otherwise 

 the system is unaltered. 



The services do campo on the sides of the valleys above the present high-water 

 level can be worked at all seasons of the year. The water from a neighbouring stream is 

 caused to flow over the deposit to be worked ; by this means the surface earth and clay are 

 carried away and the diamond-bearing " cascalho "" is laid bare. Since sufficient water for this 

 purpose is only to be obtained in the rainy season this part of the work is usually reserved 

 for that period. The " cascalho " when excavated is washed and the diamonds are picked 

 out of the concentrate, in the same way as in the " servipos do rio." 



In the services da serra the removal of the masses of barren sand and earth 

 covering the " gurgulho " of the plateau-deposits is effected in the same manner, namely, by 

 the agency of running water. As, however, on the plateau there are no natural water- 

 courses having a sufficient head of water, it is necessary to construct artificial reservoirs 

 in which the rain-water may be stored. The water is conducted from the reservoir to 

 the places at which it is required in wooden channels and the diamond-bearing bed thus 

 laid bare as far as possible. As in other cases, the " gurgulho " is first washed and the 

 diamonds then picked out by hand. 



In the period immediately following the discovery of diamonds in Brazil, it was the 

 practice of the Portuguese Government to demand in return for the concession of mining 

 rights a certain sum for every slave it was proposed to employ, the total number of slaves 

 so employed to be fixed by agreement. This tax was continually being raised, and so 

 . irksome became the conditions imposed on prospective miners that no one could be found 

 to undertake the work. Then from the year 1740 concessions were granted on the payment 

 of a fixed sum, but as the mineral wealth of the country still remained undeveloped, the 

 mining was taken over altogether by the Government from the year 1772 until the separation 

 of Brazil from Portugal. The choicest of the stones found in this period therefore found 

 their way to Lisbon, and were preserved with the Portuguese crown jewels, a collection 

 which comprises many unique and matchless gems. The larger proportion of the Brazilian 

 output was bought by merchants and sent to Europe through Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. 



In spite of the laws of almost draconic severity levelled against illicit diamond-mining 

 and trading, there was, besides the Government production, a great deal of surreptitious 

 mining by unlicensed persons (" garimpeiros ") of which of course no records were made. 

 It has been estimated, however, that the contraband production was at least equal in 

 amount to that of the Government. Moreover, a large proportion of the most perfect 

 and beautiful stones fell into the hands of illicit traders, since a Government employee 

 would scarcely risk detection for the sake of a stone of average or poor size and quality. 

 According t6 other accounts the illicit trade was not of such extent and importance ; in 

 any case, however, those engaged in it, when relieved from the necessity of meeting the 

 heavy taxes and high cost of production of the legitimate product, must have found their 

 transactions very remunerative. 



