66 WHITE'sJOURNALOFA 
1787. hundred pipes of it for the ufe of the garrifon when arrived 
September. New South Walcs. Precious and valuable ftones are alfo 
found here. Indeed they are fo very plenty, that a certain 
quantity only is fufFered to be colledlied annually. At the 
jewellers and lapidaries, of which occupation there are many 
in Rio, I faw fome valuable diamonds, and a great number 
of excellent topazes, with many other forts of flones of 
inferior value. Several topazes were purchafed by myfelf 
and others j but we chofe to buy them wrought, in order 
to avoid impoHtion, which is not unfrequent when the 
flones are fold in a rough ftate. One of the principal flreets 
of this city is nearly occupied by jewellers and the workers 
of thefe flones ; and I obferved that perfons of a fimilar 
profelTion generally refided in the fame ftreet. 
The manufadures here are very few, and thofe by no means 
extenfive. All kinds of European goods fell at an immoderate 
price, notwithflanding the fhops are well flored with them. 
The Brazil, or native Indians, are very adroit at making 
elegant cotton hammocks of various dyes and forms. It wa* 
formerly the cuflom for the principal people of Rio to be 
carried about in thefe hammocks ; but that fafliion is fuc- 
<;eeded by the ufe of fedan chairs, which are now very com- 
mon 
