Tombstone epitaph., 1890-01-25
The Mineral Resources of Brazil.


 in minerals No other portion of the | earth's surface has yielded in proportion to the area exploited such an enormous wealth of gold and diamonds.
 From the first discovery of gold in I6o3 on the banks of the Bom Successo "a small tributary of the AraCuahi, which in turn swells the waters of the Jequitinhonha, one of the rivers of the northern part of the province of Minas Geraes-to I746, when diamonds were found in that stream, and gold mining was prohibited, it is safe to say that from placers alone more than SI, I,ooo, o,ooo, 900 was extracted.
 The value of the diamonds found up to IS47 was estimated by Count Castil- nau at S6oooo,ooo From 1861 to 1867 the official records show an exportation of diamonds of the estimated value Of S9,44o,25o. Under the Portuguese dom ination diamonds were the property of the crown, and the severest penalties were visited upon those having them n their possession without being able to give an account of their purchase from the government. It inevitably followed that diamond smuggling was very profitable business. It was impossible to prevent an illicit trade in an article so easily concealed.
 All gold mined was supposed to pay the royal fifth, and the greatest precau tions were taken and the most strenuous efforts made to enforce the collection of this tax, as well as to prevent diamond washing, but the undertaking was futile Gold was found in placers over a vast extent of territory in Brazil, and the dia- mantiferous regions were likewise Of great area, and the physical character of the country offered the best possible ia ciljties for escaping the guards stationed at different points.
 It follows, therefore, that no reliance can be placed in the official records, which deal exclusively with what the royal treasury received. There is now a great deal of secrecy observed by traders in diamonds in Brazil. There are no regular mining operations for precious stones carried on. Nevertheless, the quantity and value of diamonds annu- ally found are very considerable. There are dealers who make a regular business of visiting the diamdntiferous localities in Minas Geraes, Bahia, Goyaz and Matto Crosse and purchasing the rough stones from the natives In Diamantina, in Minas Geraes, diamond cutting is Car ried on secretly. The state now exer- cises no supervision, but there is an ex- port duty, and this is sufficient to induce the secrecy which prevails.
 In the interior rough diamonds of considerable size and corresponding value are occasionally found. 1 heard of one the other day that was offered here for $3,ooo in quiet way. One was found about year ago in Northwestern San Paulo, by a countryman who was washing for gold, which was sold for S3oooo to a dealer in Rio de Janeiro. Two years ago knew of one trader who brought from the Cayasso region of Goyaz rough stones which he sold to dealer in Rio Janeiro for SIoo,ooo.
 In many parts of Minas Geraes and in Goyaz gold dust is regular article of barter between the natives and the "ven- das"-country stores. 1 am told by re liable persons who have travelled in those localities that the cause of the general thriftlessness of the natives is the facility with which they can pan few ounces of gold from the stream. Having got a little gold they take it to the nearest venda and trade 1t for supplies, and so long as these last they will do nothing. Game is plentiful, they need few clothes, and are content with mere existence.
 Almost century before gold was found in Brazil the crown of Portugal had published an elaborate system of mining laws and regulations for its South American colonies. The instruc- tions to every Captain General were burdened with one injunction, "Find gold and silver"
 Finally, MT. Gibson goes on to relate, in 1893, certain explorers detached from the colony established at Sao-Paulo (St PauD following the valley of the Par ahjba river, struck across the headwaters of the river Doce and reached the Jeeui- | tinhonha, which they followed to the sea and thence made their way to Bahia, then the residence of the Captain Ger eral and the seat of government.
 They found somewhere on one of the streams flowing into the Jequitinhonha three divitas (three-eighths of an ounce) | of gold dust. The leader of the band | presented the precious "dust" to the Captain General, but could give no cer- tain account of where it was found, save that it was on the banks of little stream that flowed into a larger one, which in time fell into still greater, which they