528 



NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



other means, until it falls into the well, where, in consequence of new 

 agitations, the metal sinks to the bottom, and is separated from the 

 refuse matter. This is really nothing but a quarry, though called a 

 mine, and in many points resembles that whence stone is procured at 

 Liverpool. It appeared to me about half as large as the Parys-Mountain 

 mine was twenty years ago, and fully as deep. 



The miners are encouraged to make such excavations, not so much 

 for the sake of the metal, which they look to meet with in its more 

 common form and quantity, as with the hope of finding a caldeirao 

 or mass of gold, one of which repays a man for the labour and expect- 

 ation of several years. These masses are generally indicated by filaments 

 of metal running through the matrix, whatever it may be, and termi- 

 nating in a nucleus, the weight and richness of which can never be 

 previously calculated. Nor do such filaments show with certainty that 

 there is any mass to which they lead ; very often they break off, and 

 altogether disappoint the anxious adventurer. There is also frequently 

 found in such mines what is called foliated gold, the particles of which 

 are flat, and much like the mica of decomposed granite. These are 

 richer and heavier than the common dust, and, of course, esteemed a 

 more valuable prize. 



A stranger can seldom behold a large mass of gold in its native bed ; 

 when discovered such riches are quickly removed, and I give the accounts 

 of them with some degree of incredulous suspicion. A gentleman who 

 was interested in one of these mines told me, that, perceiving the 

 indications of richness grow stronger as they penetrated the lull, the 

 proprietors determined to open a cave directly into it, and for that 

 purpose employed fifty-four slaves for more than twelve months. At the 

 end of that period the roof of the excavation gave way, and- killed 

 fourteen or fifteen of them ; the remainder were employed nine or ten 

 months longer in clearing away the loose earth, and reaching the core. 

 They worked at it one afternoon and part of the night, when the whole 

 side of the mountain broke in, buried nine more of the people, and 

 produced a hopeless ruin. The treasure extracted during the few hours 



