II I o 



11 I o 



the only remarkable circumftar.ee is the large proportion of 

 feld-fpath contained in it. About two miles within the har- 

 bour, on the fouth-weft fide, is one high rock, entirely 

 compofed of columnar malles, bearing the refemblauce of 

 bafaltes : it refts upon clay. In all the quarries of granite 

 it is found incumbent upon clay and land. Here are three 

 fpecies of granite : the firft, red-coloured, foft, and fhiuing ; 

 the fecond, deep blue coloured, harder, and of a clofer tex- 

 ture ; and the third of a whitilh mining colour, containing 

 much mica, and little feld-fpath ; its texture foft, and in- 

 capable of a good polifh. 



The government of Rio is, as to its form, mixed ; and 

 yet, in faft, very defpotic. It confifts (we are now fpeaking 

 of its ftate before the removal of the Portuguefe government 

 thither) of the viceroy, the governor of the town, and a 

 council. To reftrain the people from travelling into the 

 country, and penetrating into any diltrift where gold or 

 diarnonds may be found, certain bounds are prefenbed to 

 them, at the difcretion of the viceroy, fometimes at a few, 

 and fometimes at many, miles diftance from the city. On 

 the verge of theie limits a guard conftantly patroles, and 

 any perion that goes beyond it is feized and thrown into 

 pnfon. 



The riches of this place confift chiefly in the mines, that 

 lie at a confiderable diftance in the country, from which 

 much gold is brought, at the expence of many lives. Pre- 

 cious ilones are alfo fouud here in fuch plenty, that a certain 

 quantity only is allowed to be collected in a year : they are 

 diamonds, topazes of feveral kinds, and amethyfts. The 

 mines called " general" are the neareft to the city, at the 

 diftance, according to the ftatement of M. Bougainville, in 

 his account of his voyage round the world, of about 75 

 leagues. They yield to the king every year, for his right 

 of fifths, at leaft 1 12 arrobas of gold : in 1762 they yielded 

 119. Under the captaincy, the MlNAES Geraes (which 

 fee) are comprehended thole of Rio de Morte, of Sahara, 

 and of Serro-frio. The laft, belides gold, produces all the 

 diamonds that come from Brafil. They are found at the 

 bottom of a river, of which they turn the courfe, in order to 

 feparate from the pebbles in its bed the diamonds, topazes, 

 chryfolites, and other ilones of inferior quality- Of all 

 thefe ftones, the diamonds alone are contraband : they be- 

 long to the undertakers, who are obliged to give an exadt 

 account of the diamonds found, and to place them in the 

 hands of the intendant appointed by the king for this pur- 

 pofe, who depofits them immediately in a caiket encircled 

 with iron, and (hut with three locks. He has one of the 

 keys, the viceroy another, and the aflayer of the royal 

 treafury the third. This cafket is enclofed in a fecond, 

 fealed by the three perfons above-mentioned, and which 

 contains the three keys of the firft. The viceroy has not 

 the power of vifiting its contents : he only eoniigns the 

 whole to a third itrong coffer, which he fends to Lifbon, 

 after having fet his feal on the lock. They are opened in 

 the prefence of the king, who choofes what diamonds he 

 pleafes, and pays the price to the undertakers at the rate 

 fixed by their agreement. The undertakers pay to his 

 moft faithful majeily the value of a piaftre Spanilh money, 

 for every flave employed in fearching for diamonds ; and 

 the number of thefe Haves may amount to 800. Of all 

 kinds of contraband trade, that of diamonds is the moft fe- 

 verely punifhed. 



The gold drawn from the mines cannot be carried to Rio 

 de Janeiro, without being firft brought to the fmelting houfes 

 eftabhlhed in each diltrict, where the right of the crown is 

 received. What refults to private perfons is remitted in 

 bars, with their weight, number, and the royal arms. 



Thofe bars belonging to individuals are regiftered in the fac- 

 tory of La Prayburia, 30 leagues from Rio de Janeiro. In 

 this ftation are a captain, lieutenant, and 50 men ; here is 

 paid the right of filths ; and, belides, a toll of a real and a 

 half per head on men, cattle, and beafta of burthen. Half 

 of the product of this duty belongs to the king, and the 

 other halt is divided between the detachment according to 

 rank. As it is impoflible to return from the mines without 

 palling by this office, all perfons are there ftopped, and 

 fearched with the greateft feverity. Individuals are after- 

 wards obliged to carry all the gold in bars, which belongs 

 to them, to the- mint of Rio de Janeiro, where the value is 

 given in coin, commonly in half doubloons, each worth eight 

 Spanilh dollars. Upon each of thefe half doubloons the 

 king gains a dollar, by the alloy and the right of coinage. 

 The mint of Rio Janeiro is one of the moft beautiful which 

 exiit ; it - is furnifhed with every convenience to work with 

 the greateft celerity. As the gold arrives from the mines 

 at the fame time that the fleets arrive from Portugal, it is 

 neceflary to accelerate the work of the mint, and the coin- 

 age proceeds with furprifing quicknefs. The arrival ot 

 theie fleets renders the commerce of Rio Janeiro very flou- 

 rilhing, but chiefly that of the Liftion fleet. The mines of 

 St. Paolo and Parnaqua yield to the king four arrobas for 

 the fifths every year. The moft diftant mines, as thofe of 

 Pracaton and Quiaba (Cuyaba), depend on the captaincy of 

 Matogrofo. The fifth of the above mines is not leceived at 

 Rio Janeiro, but that of the mines of Goyas is deducted. 

 This captaincy alfo poffeffes diamond mines, the working 

 of which is prohibited. 



The whole of the expence of the king of Portugal at 

 Rio Janeiro, for the payment of the troops and civil officers, 

 and ior the charges of the mines, the maintenance of the 

 public buildings, the careening of vell'els, amounts to about 

 600,000 dollars. The expenccs of building (hips of the 

 line and frigates there ftationed are not included. 



Recapitulation, and Amount of the Average of different 

 Objedfs of royal Revenue. 



150 arrobas of gold, the average produced by Dollara. 



the royal fifths, are in Spanilh money - 1,125,000 



The duty on diamonds ... 240,000 



The duty on coinage ... 400,000 



Ten per cent, from the cuftom-houfe - - 350,000 



Two and a half per cent, of free gift - 87,000 

 Right of toll, fale of employments, officers, and 



generally all the profits of the mines - 225,000 



Duty on (laves .... 110,000 

 Duty on lilh-oil, fait, foap, and the tenth on the 



provilions of the country - - 130,000 



Total 2,667,000 



From which, deducting the above expences, it will appear 

 that the king of Portugal draws from Rio Janeiro a revenue 

 exceeding 10,000,000 of French livres, or 416,666/. 



The coin that is current here, is either that of Portugal, 

 confifting chiefly of 36^. pieces, or pieces both of gold and 

 filver, which are ftruck at this place : the pieces of filvcr, 

 which are very much debafed, are called patacks, and are 1 f 

 different value, being eafily diftinguifhed by the number of 

 rees marked on the outiide. Here is alfo a copper coin, 

 like that in Portugal, of five and ten ree pieces. See Ree. 



Upon the whole, Rio de Janeiro is a very good place for 

 (hips to put in at that want rtfrefhment : the harbour is fafe 

 and commodious ; and provifions, except wheaten bread and 

 flour, may be eafily procured : as a fuccedaneum for bread, 



here 



