40 RIO DE JANEIRO CHAP. II 
qualities, and amethysts, are the stones most usually found. 
Of the first I did not see any, but was told that the viceroy 
had by him large quantities, and would sell them on the 
King of Portugal’s account, but in that case they would not 
be at all cheaper than those in Europe. I bought a few 
topazes and amethysts as specimens; the former were 
divided into three sorts of very different value, called here 
pinga @agua qualidade premeiro and segondo, and chrystallos 
ormerillos, They were sold, large and small, good and bad 
together, by octaves, or the eighth part of an ounce: the 
first sort 4s. 9d., the second 2s, 4d., the third 3d.; but 
it was smuggling in the highest degree to have anything to 
do with them. 
Formerly there were jewellers here who cut stones, but 
about fourteen months ago orders came from the King of 
Portugal that no more stones should be wrought here 
except on his account. The jewellers were immediately 
ordered to bring all their tools to the viceroy, and from that 
time to this have not been suffered to do anything for their 
support; there are, however, a number of slaves who cut 
stones for the King of Portugal. 
The coin current here is either that of Portugal, especially 
thirty-six shilling pieces, or coin made here, which is much 
debased, particularly the silver. These are called petacks, of 
which there are two sorts, one of less value than the other, 
easily distinguishable by the number of reis marked on 
them, but they are little used. They also have copper coins 
like those in Portugal of five and ten rey pieces. Two of 
the latter are worth three halfpence; forty petacks are worth 
thirty-six shillings. 
The harbour of Rio de Janeiro is certainly a very good 
one: the entrance is not wide, but the sea breeze which 
blows every morning makes it easy for any ship to go in 
before the wind, and when you get abreast of the town it 
increases in breadth prodigiously, so that almost any number 
of ships might lie in five or six fathoms of water with an 
oozy bottom. It is defended by many works, especially the 
entrance, where it is narrow, and where is their strongest 
