PROVINCE OF MINAS GERAES, 



259 



whites and four hundred Indians, up the Cricare, and came back by the same 

 river as his precursor. 



Many years had elapsed when, with the same project, M. d' Azevedo 

 penetrated into this country as far as the lake Vupabussu. 



In 1793, a Thaubateno, A. Rodriguez, entered the certam of Cuyate, 

 accompanied by fifty men ; but discord interrupted their proceedings, and 

 Rodriguez returned by the capitania of Espirito Santo, where he exhibited 

 three oitavas (a drachm each) of gold, to demonstrate that he had traversed 

 auriferous lands. Proceeding to Rio de Janeiro, and thence to Thaubate, h,^ 

 soon expired, in consequence of the exhausted state he was reduced to by tl|& 

 fatigues and privations of the enterprise, previously recommending his brotheiC-: 

 in-law, Bartholomew Bueno, to persevere in this project. ,i 



Impelled by the poverty to which extravagancies had reduced him, Bueno 

 set out, in 1694, upon the enterprise, accompanied by Captain M. d' Almeida 

 and other persons, directing their course by the heads of the serras pointed out 

 in the diary of the late Rodriguez. 



Captain M. Garcia, accompanied by Colonel S. Fernandez and other adven- 

 turers, actuated by similar motives, took their departure in the following year ; 

 met with Bueno at the serra of Itaberava, near thirty miles to the south of 

 Villa Rica, and returned the first with twelve oitavas of gold, which led to jtJx^ 

 establishment of a melting house in the town of Thaubate. ; 



This circumstance caused a great many Paulistas to undertalce various pther 

 voyages, in spite of the fatigues and dangers with which they were beset; not 

 as hitherto in capturing savages, bat in the animating pursuit of gold. With 

 this view numbers formed establishments in the province. Hence arose the 

 envy which subsisted between the Thaubatenos and Piratininganos, who never 

 associated in their mining expeditions. 



With the project of finding gold F. D. Paes penetrated the certams of Sen-o 

 Frio, and arriving at the situation of Anhonhecanhuva, (which in the Indian 

 idiom signifies " water that hides itself,") at present called Sumidoiro, (" to 

 swallow up,") he dwelt there more than three years, undertaking various 

 journeys during the time into Sahara Bussu, where he found, in the serra Negra, 

 precious stones ; which not satisfying him he retroceded as far as the serra 

 Tucambira, (the crop or maw of the Tucano,) and from thence to the river 

 Itamarindiba, (a small rolling stone,) where, from its having fish, he remained 

 for some time. Although his party was diminished by the desertion of tb-^ 

 major part in the serra Negra, impatient at their long stay there, he determ-^ied 



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