long grass is erected in the form of a parallelogram, twenty-five or thirty yards along, and about fifteen yards wide. Down the middle of the area of this shed a current of water is conveyed through a canal covered with strong planks, on which the cascalhão is laid, two or three feet thick. On the other side of the area is a flooring of planks, embedded in clay, four or five yards wide, extending the whole length of the shed; and having a gentle slope from the canal. This flooring is divided by means of planks, placed edgewise, into about twenty compartments or troughs, each about three feet wide. The upper ends of these troughs communicate with the canal, and are so formed that water is admitted into them between two planks that are placed about an inch asunder. Through this opening the current falls, about six inches, into the trough, and may be directed to any part of it, or, if necessary, even stopped entirely out by a small quantity of clay. At the lower ends of the troughs a channel is dug, to carry off the

water.

At equal distances, on the heap of cascalhão, which extends the whole length of the shed, are placed three high chairs for the officers or overseers. After these

officers are seated, the negroes enter the troughs, each provided with a rake of peculiar form, with which he rakes into the trough from fifty to eighty pounds weight of cascalhão. The water being then let in, the cascalhão is spread about and continually raked up to the head of the trough, so as to be kept in constant motion. This operation is performed for about a quarter of an hour: the water then begins to run clearer, in consequence of the earthy particles having been wasted away. After this the gravel-like matter that remains is raked up to the end of the trough; and, as soon as the current flows away quité clear, the largest stones are thrown out, and afterwards those of inferior size; and then the whole contents of the troughs are examined with great care for diamonds.

When a negro has found a diamond, he immediately

stands upright and clasps his hands, and then extends them, holding the gem between his fore-finger and thumb. An overseer receives it from him, and deposits it in a gamella or bowl, which is suspended from the centre of the building, half full of water. In this vessel all the diamonds found in the course of the day are placed; and, at the close of the work, they are taken out and delivered to the principal officer, who, after having weighed them, registers the particulars in a book kept for that purpose.

When a negro is fortunate enough to find a diamond of the weight of an octavo (174 carats*), much ceremony takes place. He is crowned with a wreath of flowers, and is carried in procession to the administrator, who gives him his freedom. He also receives a present of new clothes, and is permitted to work on his own account. When a stone of eight or ten carats weight is found, the negro receives two new shirts, a new suit of clothes, a hat, and a handsome knife. For smaller stones proportionate rewards are given.

Many precautions are requisite to prevent the negroes from embezzling diamonds. Although they work. in a bent position, and consequently never know whether the overseers be watching them or not, yet it is easy for them to omit gathering any that they see; and to place them in a corner of the trough, for the purpose of secreting them at their leisure hours. To prevent this, they are frequently changed while the operation is going on. A word of command being given by the overseers, they instantly move into each others troughs, so that no opportunity of collusion can take place. If a negro be suspected of having swallowed a diamond, he is confined in a strong room until the fact can be ascertained. The punishment inflicted for smuggling diamonds is imprisonment and chastisement.

There is no particular regulation concerning the dress

* A carat is equal to four jeweller's grains, seven of which are equal to six grains of troy weight.

of the negroes. They work in the clothes most suitable to the nature of their employment, generally in a waistcoat and drawers. Their hours of labour are from a little before sun-rise till sun-set, half an hour being allowed at breakfast and two hours at noon.

The negroes are formed into working parties, called troops, each containing two hundred men, under the direction of an administrator and inferior officers. Each troop has a clergyman and a surgeon to attend it. The officers are liberally paid, and live in a style of elegance, which a stranger would not expect to see in so remote a place. Their tables are daily covered with a profusion of excellent viands, served on fine Wedgewood ware; and the state of their household generally corresponds with this essential part of it.

After Mr. Mawe has detailed the process of washing for diamonds, he proceeds to a general description of the situations in which these stones are found. The flat pieces of ground, on each side of the river, are, he says, equally rich, through their whole extent. Hence the officers, attached to the mines, are enabled to calculate the value of an unexamined piece, by comparison with the amount that has been found on washing an equal quantity in the part adjoining.

The substances that accompany diamonds, and are considered good indications of them, are bright beanlike iron ore, a slaty flint-like substance of iron texture, black iron ore in great quantities, rounded bits of blue quartz, yellow crystal, and other materials entirely different from any thing known to be produced in the adjacent mountains. Diamonds are by no means peculiar to the beds of rivers or deep ravines: they have been found in cavities and water courses, even on the summits of mountains.

The Jigitonhonha, and other streams in its vicinity, have produced great numbers of diamonds, many of which have been of the finest quality. These vary in size; some of them are so small, that four or five are re

quired to weigh one grain; and it seldom happens that more than two or three stones of from seventeen to twenty carats weight are found in the course of a year. During the five days that Mr. Mawe was at Mandanga, the whole number of diamonds that were found amounted only to forty, the largest of them was only of four carats weight, and was of a light green colour.

After this Mr. Mawe was conducted to a diamond work, called Montero, about two miles up the river; and, about a league farther, to a gold work, called Carapata. The cascalhão at the latter place was taken from a part of the river eight feet deep, which formed an eddy under a projecting point of rock. Mr. Mawe was shown a heap of it, that was estimated to be worth ten thousand pounds. In removing this heap from its bed, four hundred negroes had been employed three months; and it was calculated that the washing of it would occupy one hundred men for three months more. This is esteemed a very rich place. While Mr. Mawe was here, six negroes, in the course of four hours, found as much gold as weighed near twenty ounces.

The

In the afternoon the travellers returned to Tejuco. This place being situated in the midst of a sterile district, which produces nothing for the maintenance of its inhabitants, depends, for its supply of provisions, on farms that are several leagues distant. The bread of the country was, at this time, extremely dear; Indian corn, from which it is made, being very scarce. beef was not good; but pork and poultry were rather plentiful. A great degree of indolence prevailed among the inhabitants, yet many of them possessed considerable wealth, in consequence of the circulation of property, occasioned by the vicinity of the diamond works. A large annual sum was paid by the government for the hire of negroes, for the salaries of officers, and various articles requisite for the works. These occasioned a considerable trade. The shops were stocked with English cottons, baizes, cloths, and other manufactured

goods; with hams, cheese, butter, porter, and other articles of consumption; most of which were brought on the backs of mules, from Bahia and Rio de Janeiro.

Owing to its situation by the side of a hill, Tejuco is very irregularly built. The streets are uneven; but the houses, compared with those of other towns in the interior, are, in general, well constructed and in good condition. In no part of Brasil did Mr. Mawe meet with society so select and agreeable, as in this; he considers Tejuco as the court of the mining district. In the manners of the principal inhabitants there was no ceremonious reserve; but their whole demeanour was affable and polite. They chiefly dressed after the English manner, and in articles of English manufacture, particularly in calicoes, straw hats, artificial flowers, &c. The ladies, though ill educated, had in general a taste for music, and many of them played on the guitar with considerable taste; but piano fortes had not at this time been introduced. Dancing was a favourite amusement with them. It was not customary for the ladies to go much abroad, except to mass; and then they were usually carried each in a chair hung with curtains that were suspended from a canopy above. Warm baths are here very generally used. They are considered of great efficacy in removing recent colds, to which all persons are liable, on account of the changeable nature of the climate.

In the treasury at Tejuco are deposited, monthly, all such diamonds as are received from the different works in the neighbourhood. They are carefully weighed, and some of them are selected and kept separate. The average quantity obtained may be estimated at from twenty thousand to twenty-five thousand carats annually. They are afterwards sent, under a military escort to Rio, and are there lodged in the treasury. They are tied up in black silk bags; and are deposited in elegant cabinets; and the whole are locked up in strong chests bound with iron.

It had been the intention of Mr. Mawe to continue