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lay at a greater distance. We rode by the side of a barren moun- 

 tain, which was covered to an extent of three miles with quartz, and 

 produced httle or no herbage, except a species of wiry or windle- 

 grass, Avhich was much parched by the sun. We descended a dech- 

 vity tremendously steep, and full a mile in length, at the bottom of 

 which we crossed the Rio das Mortes, here a small rivulet. On its 

 further bank is an astallage, or inn, called Registro Velho, (Old Re- 

 gister) being originally built as a searching-office, to prevent the 

 smuggling of gold. Proceeding hence, the eye is again relieved from 

 confined wood-scenery by the prospect of a grand amphitheatre of 

 mountains, which are bounded by others of amazing magnitude, 

 covered with forests. On the side of one hill, which we skirted ob- 

 liquely, I observed several crystallized masses, which, on examina- 

 tion, proved to be clusters of cubes of ferruginous quartz of a dark- 

 brown colour. We shortly afterwards arrived at a village called 

 Barbasinas, situated on a commanding eminence, in a most fertile 

 country, and apparently containing about two hundred dwelling- 

 houses. While we stopped to take some refreshment, numbers of the 

 inhabitants came to look at us, having never before seen Englishmen, 

 and being on the rack of curiosity to know the objects of our jour- 

 ney. At this place two great roads from the mining country unite, 

 and form the main road to Rio de Janeiro. That to the westward 

 leads from St. Joao del Rey, Sahara, and Cuiabd ; the other from 

 Villa Rica, Mariana, Villa do Principe, Tejuco, Minas Novas, &c. 

 Being a sort of half-way station to the capital, and the last open place 

 on the road, it is much frequented by people from various parts of 

 the interior, and has a considerable traffic in various articles, parti- 

 cularly baizes, cotton goods, salt, and iron. Many of the shops were 

 well stocked with English manufactures. The place is governed by 

 an Ouvidor, or justice of the peace, and a military officer. In its 

 neighbourhood there is a quarry of soft, whitish granite, from which 

 miU-stones are made ; but, from the specimens I saw of it, the mate- 

 rial must be very unfit for such a purpose. 



