his journey eastward from Tejuco, to a celebrated mining district, called Minas Novas; but he was prevented by illness from accomplishing this intention. While he remained at Tejuco, which he did for some time, for the purpose of regaining strength sufficient to encounter the fatigues of a journey back to the capital, he employed himself in collecting information from intelligent persons respecting several parts of the adjacent country.

The principal village in Minas Novas is called Tocaya; and is situated about thirty-five leagues north-east of Tejuco: In many of the streams of this part of Brasil are found white topazes, which have thence obtained the appellation of Minas Novas. They are beautiful transparent pebbles, and generally of a rounded form, though sometimes they occur in a crystallized shape. Blue topazes and aqua marinas are also found here. This neighbourhood is likewise noted for producing a beautiful yellow kind of gems, called chrysoberyls, which are much esteemed in Brasil.

The country is fertile, and abounds in a great variety of beautiful kinds of wood for cabinet work. It also yields numerous species of fruit; and is extremely favourable to the growth of sugar and coffee. The plantations, however, are chiefly of cotton; and the cotton here produced is considered to be excellent both in colour and quality. It is transported to Rio de Janeiro on mules; and many hundreds of these useful animals are continually employed in carrying it. The trade to Minas Novas from Rio, consists principally in negroes, iron, salt, woollens, hats, printed cottons, hardware, arms, and some fancy articles; a little wine and oil, salt fish and butter.

Near Tocayo the river Jigitonhonha flows into a larger river called Rio Grande, which, taking an easterly direction, falls into the sea near Porto Seguro. This river is free from cataracts, and is navigable by small vessels.

At some distance from Tejuco is a rivulet called

Abaité, celebrated for having produced the largest diamond which the prince regent of Portugal ever possessed. It was found, about the year 1800, by three men who had been banished for their crimes into the interior of the country. These men, who had been forbidden to approach any of the capital towns, or to remain in civilized society, endeavoured to explore new mines, in unfrequented parts of the country, in the hope that, sooner or later, they might have the good fortune to make some important discovery, which would obtain a reversal of their sentence. They wandered about for more than six years, during which time, though exposed to excessive hardships and fatigue, they made frequent searches in the various rivers of the adjacent districts. At length they accidentally made some trials in the river Abaité, at a time when its waters were particularly low; and they had the good fortune to discover a diamond that was nearly an ounce in weight. Elated by this discovery, which, at first, they could scarcely believe to be real; and hesitating between a dread of the rigorous laws relative to diamonds, and the hope of recovering their liberty, they ventured to consult a clergyman of the neighbourhood. This gentleman advised that they should trust to the mercy of the state: he accompanied them to Villa Rica, and procured them access to the governor. They threw themselves at his feet; delivered the gem on which their hopes rested, and related to him all the circumstances connected with the discovery of it. The governor, astonished at its magnitude, called for the officers of the jewel department, to ascertain whether it really was a diamond. This was soon decided; and, being thus in possession of the largest diamond that bad ever been found in America, he determined to suspend the sentence of the men, as a reward for their having delivered it to him; and to send it immediately to Lisbon, and the clergyman along with it, to state the particulars concerning its discovery. The sovereign confirmed the pardon of the delinquents, and rewarded the clergyman for the trouble he had undergone.

Mr. Mawe, speaking of the diamonds obtained in Brasil, states, that the earthy matter which forms the bottom of the rivulet was originally washed only for gold. No idea was entertained that any of these rivulets contained diamonds. Several curious bright stones, however, were at different times brought to the governor of Villa do Principe, and were used by him as counters at cards. Soon afterwards a few of these stones found their way to Lisbon, and were given as pretty pebbles to the Dutch minister at that court. He sent them to Holland, which was then the principal mart in Europe for precious stones. The lapidaries, to whom these pebbles were presented for examination, pronounced them to be diamonds. Information was sent to the Dutch minister at Lisbon, who did not fail to profit by the occasion; for he managed the affair with the government so well, that he contracted for the precious stones, at the same time that he communicated the intelligence. The Portuguese government, however, afterwards endeavoured to monopolize the diamonds: they made a distinct district of Cerro do Frio, and placed it under peculiar laws and regulations.

The number of diamonds sent over during the first twenty years after the discovery is said to have been almost incredible, and to have exceeded one thousand ounces in weight. During the period from 1801 to 1806 inclusive, the expenses of the various diamond works, amounted to £204,000; and the diamonds sent to the royal treasury at Rio weighed 115.675 carats, or about 830 ounces. The value of the gold found in the same period amounted to £17.300 sterling. These years were esteemed singularly productive; for the mines do not in general yield to the government more than twenty thousand carats annually; but, exclusive of this amount, there are vast quantities of diamonds smuggled.

The diamonds of Brasil were formerly sent to Holland to be cut, the Dutch jewellers having been contractors for them from the period of the first discovery

of the mines. But, since the emigration of the court of Portugal to Rio de Janeiro, that trade has been transferred to England, where these stones annually arrive, and are sold by private contract.

The diamonds now in the possession of the prince regent of Portugal, are said to be unequalled in number, size, and quality, by those of any potentate in the world. Mr. Mawe was informed that they exceeded in value three millions sterling.

The diamond district has a direct communication with Bahia, and mules are continually employed in travelling with goods from one place to the other. The journey is much longer than that to Rio de Janeiro, but the country is less mountainous. The commodities sent from Tejuco and Minas Novas are very trivial: they consist only of topazes, amethysts, and other precious

stones.

From Tejuco Mr. Mawe returned through Villa Rica to Rio de Janeiro, where he arrived about the middle of February, 1810.

Twenty-fifth Day's Instruction.

BRASIL CONCLUDED.

Bahia, Marannon, Ternambuco, and Para.

FROM Rio de Janeiro, where we shall now leave Mr. Mawe, we will proceed along the sea-coast of Brasil northward, to Porto Seguro. In so doing we shall pass the two capes of St. Frio and St. Thomas; and, at about the twentieth degree of south latitude, shall reach the small maritime town of Spiritu Santo. This place is defended by a fort; and has, in front of it, a deep bay, the entrance of which is confined by an island, from which a long bank of sand extends to the continent.

On one side of it is a naked rock, and on the other a conical hill. The territory adjacent to this place is fertile, and abounds in all the necessaries of life.

Proceeding still in a northerly direction, the next place of importance that we arrive at, is Porto Seguro. This is situated within the government of Bahia, a province which comprises about fifty leagues of coast; and, though one of the least populous, is one of the most fertile and luxuriant divisions of Brasil. It is bounded on the south by the river Doce, on the west and north by the river St. Francisco, and on the east by the ocean.

The superintendance of this province is vested in a governor-general, who has a temporary control over all the tribunals and departments. A senate, consisting of four members and a president, transact the public concerns of Bahia, the capital examine the weights and measures, plan public improvements, &c. The reve nues of the government are partly derived from duties laid on merchandise; but the principal source of income arises from the produce of the diamond and gold mines, and from the sale of Brasil wood. These pass solely through the hands of the government, and are very profitable. The value of the Brasil wood exported from Brasil into Europe is estimated to amount to between thirty and forty thousand pounds per annum.

For the account which I shall give you of Porto Seguro, I am indebted to the narrative of Mr. Lindley's voyage to Brasil. This gentleman, who was engaged in a mercantile adventure in the southern seas, was compelled, by stress of weather, and the defective state of his ship, to run her into Porto Seguro. As it was contrary to the existing laws, for any merchant vessel, except from the mother country, to enter the harbours of Brasil, and as, consequently, few other foreign vessels than those from Portugal were ever seen here, the curiosity of the inhabitants was immediately roused. Great numbers of them hastened on board the ship; and, like so many monkeys, they peeped into every