( 241 ) 



It cannot be too much recommended to the Government of Brazil 

 immediately to order a survey of this river, which might be per- 

 formed in one of their launches in two months at little or no expence, 

 and, were it found necessary, a chain of connection might be esta- 

 blished from its mouth to Tocaya. The benefits resulting to the in* 

 habitants from opening the navigation may be easily conceived. 

 The produce of the country, its cotton, coffee, and sugar, its rich 

 cabinet-woods, and many other valuable articles, would be brought 

 into active commerce ; extensive plantations would be established, 

 and the whole territory would be improved. It is true that the com- 

 merce of the district Avould flow through another channel, and the 

 tolls paid on passing the Paraibuna, to and from the capital, would 

 be a little diminished : but surely the policy of Government is not 

 so confined as to allow that consideration to have any weight against 

 a measure of such national importance, when it is obvious that one 

 of the greatest disadvantages under which the empire of Brazil 

 labours, is the want of commerce on all its rivers, except the Rio 

 Grande de St. Pedro. 



The population of Minas Novas is thin, compared with its extent, 

 but is daily increasing. It does not appear that mining is the object 

 which attracts settlers, though there is a considerable quantity of 

 stones exported, which are found only here, as has been before ob- 

 served. 



Where the rivers are deep it is very diflScult to raise the cascalhao 

 from their beds, in order to wash it for gold, &c. ; for this 

 purpose various trivial and ineffectual methods are practised : it 

 would be highly conducive to the interest of the proprietor, as well 

 as of the state, to have rafts or boats constructed, and to adopt the 

 machinery used by the ballast-heavers on the river Thames, by means 

 of which the cascalhao might be raised, even from a depth of twenty 

 feet, however rapid were the current. This machinery is highly to 

 be recommended, not only in this district but throughout the mining 

 country ; were a model of it made by order of Government, and the 



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