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tered into the illicit trade of shipping the dye-wood, which generally 

 proved very disadvantageous, as the wood of that species grown in 

 the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro is very inferior in quality to that of 

 Pernambuco, from whence that trade is allowed by contract. The 

 folly of speculation did not stop here : precious stones appeared to 

 offer the most abundant source of riches ; the general calculation was 

 made upon the price at which they sold in London : but every 

 trader bought them, more or less, at the price at which they were 

 offered ; invoices of goods were bartered for some, which in London 

 would sell for, comparatively, a trifle, as they were taken without dis- 

 crimination as to quality or perfection ; tourmalines were sold for 

 emeralds, crystals for topazes, and both common stones and vitreous 

 paste have been bought as diamonds to a considerable amount. 

 Both gold and diamonds were well known to be produced in Brazil ; 

 and their being by law contraband, was a sufficient temptation to 

 eager speculators who had never before seen either in their native 

 state. False diamonds were weighed with scrupulousness, and 

 bought with avidity, to sell by the rules stated by Jefferies. Gold- 

 dust, as it is commonly called, appeared in no inconsiderable quan- 

 tity, and, after being weighed with equal exactness, was bought or 

 bartered for. But previous to this many samples underwent the fol- 

 lowing easy and ingenious process: — The brass pans purchased of 

 the English were filed, and mixed with the gold in the proportion of 

 from five to ten per cent., according to the opinion which the seller 

 formed of the sagacity of the person with whom he had to deal : and 

 thus, by a simple contrivance, some of our countrymen repurchased 

 at three or four guineas per ounce the very article which they had 

 before sold at 2s. 6d, per pound. 



In enumerating the losses occasioned by the depreciation of goods, 

 I have omitted to notice the heavy expences upon them after the 

 purchase, as packing, shipping, convoy-duty, freight, insurance, 

 commission, and other incidental charges. Then suppose any staple 

 article to be bought ; there are the expences of commission for 



