286 



PROVINCE OF MINAS GERAES. 



detached rocks and stones, accumulated on each other in chaotic piles, covered 

 with a grey moss, and sparingly dressed in creeping brushwood. A thousand 

 pure and crystalline rills warble across its rude tracts formed by the miner, 

 and roll into his gamella* their rich offerings. The waters of some are dashed 

 over the sides of mountains, others descend divided between broken rocks to 

 the base of the serras, from whence, accumulating, they flow in serpentine 

 courses in search of larger rivers, running sometimes tamely and tranquilly 

 between spacious banks ; at others, precipitated amongst approximating and 

 steep serras, with loud and interesting murmurs. For a time they often 

 disappear altogether from the sight, are again visible, flowing on in foaming 

 fury. The crystallizations of diamonds are obtained near the surface of the 

 earth. Their form is triangular, round, pointed on one side, with the face 

 always smooth ; this proves that the crystallization is dispersed and solitary. 



In the centre of the diamond district, one hundred and thirty miles north- 

 north-east of Marianna, one hundred and ten from Sahara, one hundred south- 

 west of Bom Successo, and twenty-eight north-north-west of Villa do Principe, 

 in a broken part of Serro Frio, to the west, and not far from the river Jequitin- 

 honha, is the flourishing arraial of St. Antonio do Tijuco, situated upon an 

 amphitheatre, with a church of St. Antonio, which has the brotherhoods of 

 S.S., of Pasos, and of the Lady of Terco, a chapel of the Lord of Bom Fim, 

 with a fraternity of black Creoles ; four of the Lady of Amparo, with a brother- 

 hood of mulattoes ; of Carmo, with a Terceira order ; of Rozario, with a fra- 

 ternity of African blacks; and Mercez ; another of St. Francisco, handsome, 

 and with a Terceira order ; a recolhimento of Donzellas, or Virgins, with their 

 little chapel, dedicated to the Lady of Luz ; and a house of misericordia, 

 whose chapel is called St. Isabel. It has quarters for troops, abounds with 

 excellent water, and is rendered particularly wholesome by salubrious mountain 

 breezes. The buildings are generally of taipa, few being of stone. 



Here reside the tribunal, or diamond junta, composed of five deputies, 

 namely, a disemhargador intendente, (the intendant judge, or governor,) who is 

 the president, with an exclusive jurisdiction in the diamond demarcation, and 

 a salary of eight thousand crusades per annum, besides other very consider- 

 able emoluments; urn corregedor fiscal, (a civil magistrate,) with 5000 crusades; 



* A bowl into which diamonds are put when found, from whence they are taken, weighed, and 

 registered daily. 



