262 



PROVINCE OF MINAS GERAES. 



distilled into spirit,) cotton, (part of which is manufactured into cloth,) whfeat> i 

 rye, and a great quantity of white Indian com, the dry flour of which is thei 

 ordinary bread ; this corn, after the skin is taken off, dressed, and sweetened 

 with sugar, is a dainty introduced into every banquet, and is called cawg-»ca. 

 Also are grown potatoes, legumes, hortulans, coffee, and indigo. Amongst 

 other medicinal plants, there are ipecacuanha, columbo root, liquorice, jalap, a 

 species of spikenard upon the serra Cara^a ; vanilla, and the urucu dye tree. 

 Amongst the resinous trees, are remarked the gum copal, gum-mastick, benzoin, 

 and angico. In some places are the storax, and the oil of cupahiba tree ; in 

 others the barhatimoes, its leaves nourishing the cantharidas, which is a lucra- 

 tive branch of commerce. Some trees furnish fine bark, some ashes for the 

 soap-house, others venom, with which fish are killed, and the upper bark of a 

 tree which supplies the real quina, or Jesuit's bark. There is a variety of the 

 palm, and of trees affording fine timber for building. The cedar is common in 

 some situations, and the Brazilian pine grows in the southern part, near the 

 skirts of serras. There is a shrub differing from the myrica cerifera, the trunk' 

 and branches of which are always covered with a species of wax; also the 

 verniz, or varnish tree, with which the Indians dye their cut/as (clay cups.)i 

 Almost all the fruit trees of Portugal are naturalized here, but none of them 

 improve^ the peach and quince alone fructify abundantly ; from the latter, a 

 large quantity of sweetmeats are made. The cajue, the jabuticaba, the araticu, 

 and the mangaba fruits are common ; also oranges, limes, bananas, pine-apples,i 

 and water-melons. /. 



From this province are exported hides, skins of deer, and of other wild 

 animals ; coarse cotton and woollen cloth, tobacco, coffee, fruits, sugar, 

 cheese, pork, pedra sabao, precious stones, saltpetre, marmalade, &c. The^ 

 whole is conducted to the metropolis upon mules, which proceed in caravans of 

 one hundred and more, divided into" troops of seven, managed by one muleteer.: 

 Their return cargo consists of salt, and other dry and moist goods. i 



The treasury, besides the diamonds, fifths of gold, dizimos, duties upon 

 negroes and goods introduced from the ports, of cattle, horses, and mules^ 

 entering from St. Paulo, receives a considerable revenue on the passage of 

 rivers by bridges and barks, which are numerous. 



In the year 1808, the circulation of gold dust, till then, the only circulating 

 medium, was prohibited, and coins of the three current metals substituted. 



In the year 1714; this province was divided into four comarcas ; namely. 



