Guaraquima (Hist. Gen. Voy.) resembles the Portugueze myrtle. It possesses several virtues, particularly that of curing worms; and requires no other preparation than making choice of the best leaves.
Tyroqui, or Tiroqui, or Tereroqui (Hist. Gen. Voy.). This plant has leaves like the cinqfoil, and the root divided into several cods, with very slender branches. It grows abundantly every where, and its principal virtue is curing dysenteries. The Brazilians inhale the smoke of this plant in all their different complaints, and it is thought an efficacious remedy for worms; a very common malady in that country.
AN ACCOUNT
OF THE
DIAMONDS OF BRAZIL.[53]
Principal Districts wherein Diamonds are found.
THE province of Brazil, which produces diamonds, is situated inland, between 22½ and 16 degrees of south latitude. Its circumference is near 670 leagues. On the east it is limited by the captaincy or province of Rio Janeiro; on the south by that of St. Paul; on the north by the Sertoens, or interior part of the maritime province of the Bay of All Saints, and part of that of the mines of Goyarel; on the west, lastly, by another part of the last-mentioned province, and by those deserts and forests which are inhabited by the savages, and extend to the frontiers of Paraguay. On the side nearest St. Paul there are vast uncultivated plains; the interior is divided by chains of mountains and hills, with superb vallies and luxuriant fertile plains. It abounds with wood, and is watered by a great number of rivers and brooks, that facilitate the working of the mines of gold, which is obtained by washing in spangles from the river sands, or in veins open to the day. This province is divided into four comarcas or districts, which, reckoning from north to south, are, Santo Joao del Rei, Villa-Rica, Sabara, and Sero-Dosrio, or Cold Mountain, called in the language of the savages Yritauray. The diamonds are found in this last district. The whole province is very rich in the ores of iron, antimony, zinc, tin, silver, and gold.
There are also diamond mines in the other districts of Brazil; particularly in Cuiaba, in the country of Guara-Puara, and in the government of St. Paul; but these mines have never yet been explored.[54]
Discovery of the Mines.
The Paulists and inhabitants of the ancient captaincy of St. Vincent were the first who discovered these mines, and peopled, in great part, the whole of this rich province, as well as those of Matto-Grosso, Cuiahe, Goyares, and Rio Grande de San Pedro. Anthonio Soary, a Paulist, who gave his name to one of these mountains, was the first who discovered and visited the Sero-Dosrio. Gold only was sought for, but at last diamonds were discovered in the Riacho Fundo, whence they were first obtained, and afterwards in the Rio de Peire; a great number were likewise obtained from the Giguitignogna, a very rich stream; and, lastly, in the end of 1780, and beginning of 1781, a gang of nearly three thousand interlopers, called Grimpeiros, discovered diamonds, and obtained an immense quantity from the Terra de Santo Antonio; but they were forced to abandon this spot to the royal farm, who took possession of it. Then it was that the suspicion was confirmed, that the mountains are the true matrices of diamonds; but as the work in the beds of rivers and on their banks is less tedious, can be conducted on a larger scale, and affords larger diamonds, the farm abandoned the mountains, and formed great establishments in the river of Toucanbirnen, which flows through the valleys of this chain, and is near ninety leagues in length. It was found by examination and digging, that the whole surface of the ground, immediately beneath the vegetable stratum, contained more or less of diamonds, disseminated and attached to a matrix ferruginous and compact in various degrees, but never in veins, or in the division of geodes.