DIAMOND REGION. 



305 



"In 1817 a stone of an oitava was sold for two hundred dollars. 

 " Gold is worth the following prices the oitava : 

 "In 1817, sixty-seven and one-half cents. 



1820, sixty-seven and one-half cents. 



1830, seventy-five cents. 



1840, one dollar and sixty cents. 



1844, one dollar and eighty cents. 

 " We see that the prices of diamonds and gold have advanced since 

 1817. This is owing to three causes : 



" 1st. The diminution of the number of African slaves, in consequence 

 of the laws against the slave trade. 



" 2d. The diminution of the quantity found. 



" 3d. The celebrity which this rich locality has progressively acquired, 

 and which attracts there many persons. 



"At present the vintem of diamonds in very small pieces is worth in 

 commerce from four and a half to five dollars. A stone of a demi-oitava 

 would be worth now from two to three hundred dollars, according to its 

 beauty. A stone of an oitava would be worth seven hundred and fifty 

 dollars. 



"Two or three years ago a stone of three-quarters of an oitava was 

 sold at four hundred dollars, and another of the same weight for five 

 hundred. 



"Now there is scarcely found more than two hundred oitavas of 

 diamonds per annum, and only two or three stones of a demi-oitava and 

 above. 



"The richest man of Diamantino had in his possession, at the time of 

 our journey, two hundred oitavas of diamonds. 



"The slaves sell the diamonds they steal at two, and two and a half 

 dollars the vintem ; large and small, indifferently. 



"To recapitulate. After the researches which I made at the places, it 

 appears to me probable that the quantity of diamonds extracted from 

 Diamantino and from Matto Grosso amounts, since the discovery by 

 the Paulistas to the present time, (1849,) to about sixty -six thousand 

 oitavas ; it must be remembered that in this sum are included a great 

 number of large stones. 



"In estimating the mean value of the oitava at one hundred and 

 twenty-five dollars, we arrive at a total of about eight million two hun- 

 dred and fifty thousand dollars. It is proper to add to this sum that of 

 the diamonds taken from the basin of the river Claro. Although this 

 last yields inconsiderably at present, and may be far from what it was 

 under the Portuguese government, I cannot estimate it at less than four- 

 20 



