PROVINCE OF GOYAZ. 



231 



CHAP. XI. 



PROVINCE OF GOYAZ, 



First Discovery of Gold — Attempts of Bueno to find the Goya Territory — Settle- 

 ments — Boundaries — Extent — Mineralogy — Zoology — Phytology — Cattle and 

 Gold its Exports — Principal Rivers — Comarcas — Julgados. — District of 

 Cayaponia — Limits — Indians — Rivers. — District of Goyaz — Limits — Moun- 

 tains — Capital — Povoagdes. — District of Nova Beira — Limits — Indians — 

 Rivers — Povoagdes — Indians reduced to Peace — Aldeias established for them. — 

 District of Tucantines — Limits — Rivers — Indians — Povoagbes. — District of 

 Parannan — Limits — Rivers — Povoacbes. — District of Rio das Velhas — 

 Limits — Rivers — Indians — Povoagdes. 



This province had its origin in the year 1749, being until that time a comarca 

 or ouvidoria of St. Paulo, so created in 1 737, and colonized by adventuring 

 miners. 



The first intelligence of this territory possessing gold w^as given by Manuel 

 Correa, a native of the town of St. Paulo de Piratininga, who found ten oitavas 

 of this metal, which he gave as a diadem to crown the sacred image of the 

 Lady of Penha, at the town of Sorocaba. Though the date of this circum- 

 stance is not known, it appears, by a journal found at Correa's death, that he 

 collected the said gold with a pewter plate in the river Aracis. 



Bartholomew Bueno, who succeeded Correa in the same undertaking about 

 the year 1670, was accompanied by his son of the same name, then only twelve 

 years old. They dwelt some time in the vicinity of the situation where the 

 capital of this province now stands, and observed that the women of the Goya 

 tribe, masters of the district, ornamented themselves with gold. 



The discovery of the mines of Cuiaba, in 1719, directed the attention of 

 B. Bueno, the son, (the father being then dead,) to the territory of the Goyaz ; 

 and imparting his knowledge of the gold discovered by his father in the pos- 

 session of this tribe, to Rodrigo Cezar de Menezes, that governor despatched 

 him, with a numerous party, and one hundred muskets, in the year 1722, in 

 order that he might go in search of and establish himself in the country. 



