THE EASTERN COAST. 
Barreto at length fought his way to the mines, but 
found their appearance equally unsatisfactory as 
those of Manica. Reports, however, reached him 
that the silver mines of Chicova w r ould prove a 
much more productive source of wealth $ and of 
these he immediately set out in search. He ap- 
peared at one time on the eve of discovering them ; 
an Indian having undertaken, on the promise of a 
magnificent reward, to lead him to the spot. This 
Indian then contrived to collect a quantity of sil- 
ver, which he secretly buried at a certain depth in 
the earth. Pretending fear of his countrymen, he 
led them, at dead of night, to the spot, where, by 
digging, they soon came to the silver there depo- 
sited. Barreto's joy was unbounded ; he appeared 
to himself to have reached the summit of wealth 
and fame, and immediately delivered to the In- 
dian the promised reward. That personage, in the 
course of the night, found it convenient to disap- 
pear, and was never again seen. The Portuguese 
at first apprehended that he had fallen a sacrifice to 
the vengeance of his countrymen, for having opened 
to them this splendid discovery ; but on continuing 
to work, without finding another particle of silver, 
they soon became sensible how the affair stood. 
Barreto's credulity, however, was not exhausted. 
The king of the country having undertaken to lead 
him to the much sought for mines, he set out with 
the bulk of his troops, leaving a detachment to de- 
