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toward the place, by the crowing of a cock : — hence the name of 

 Canta Gallo, which was subsequently given to it. They introduced 

 themselves as smugglers, who wished to belong to the fraternity, and 

 after living there some time, found means to give information to 

 government, at Rio de Janeiro, who issued proclamations, offering 

 pardon if the whole body would surrender. This measure was inef- 

 fectual ; the grimperos were well provided with fire-arms, and de- 

 termined to defend themselves as long as any gold could be found. 

 In a year or two afterwards, the washings began to fail, and thus 

 the great bond of interest which united them being loosened, some 

 deserted the place, and the rest became less vigilant in taking mea- 

 sures for their defence. The government seized this favourable 

 opportunity of reducing them ; a considerable force was assembled 

 in the vicinity, with orders to make an attack at a certain fixed day, 

 which was known to be celebrated by the grimperos as a festival in 

 honour of some saint. At the expected time, while they were en- 

 gaged at a great banqueting, and too much occupied with their 

 wine to think of their arms, which had been laid aside, (the flints 

 having been secretly taken out,) about a hundred soldiers rushed 

 in among them ; those who were sober enough flew to their arms, ex- 

 claiming, " We are sold ! we are betrayed ! treason ! treason \" The 

 contest was short ; the soldiers seized the ringleaders, who were either 

 sent to Africa, or imprisoned for life ; of the rest, some were taken 

 prisoners, others fled, but were pursued for years afterwards, and a 

 few fell in the attack. 



The Government, having thus become masters of this territory, and 

 imagining it to be as rich in gold as when the grimperos first settled 

 there, issued many injudicious regulations, oppressed the natives 

 beyond example, built registers in various parts, to prevent contra-^ 

 band, and filled the whole neighbourhood with guards. The nume- 

 rous settlers, whom the supposed richness of the place afterwards 

 attracted, soon found that the cream had been skimmed by the 

 jsmugglers, and by degrees turned their attention to agriculture, a 



