Twenty miles further to the north, upon the margin of the St. Francisco, is the small and agreeably situated arraial of Estrema, with a hermitage of Conceiçao. It abounds with fish and meat. The fruit consists principally of oranges.
Within this comarca is the mountainous diamond district, fifty miles in diameter. The beautiful stones found here by Bernardo da Fonseca Lobo, in 1730, on being discovered to be diamonds, afforded this part of the comarca its designation. The value of these stones not being at first known, the district remained free till 1734, when an ouvidor of the province, who had resided at Goa, and had there acquired a knowledge of this most precious article, coming from Golconda, pronounced them diamonds.
J. F. d’Oliveira and F. F. da Sylva had the diamond contract in 1741, for three years, at the sum of nine hundred thousand crusades. By a letter of the 3d of April, 1743, the king ordered the provedor of the treasury of Villa Rica to superintend the diamond contract, with a sum not to exceed two hundred thousand crusades per annum. Some time having passed, the contract was publicly sold to some persons of the name of Caldeyras, who, in their operations, met with copious and rich supplies. The opulence thus acquired, led them to perpetrate crimes for which they were sent to Limoeiro, where they ended their days, their property being confiscated by the crown. This contract was granted anew, to J. F. d’Oliveira, with whom it remained till the end of 1771.
On the 1st of January, 1772, the diamond district came under the immediate management of the government. But diamonds alone do not constitute the riches and celebrity of this district; other precious stones concur in rendering it important, such as sapphires, emeralds, aqua-marinas, chrysolites, topazes, &c. All these stones are produced in the serras, from whence they descend to the rivers, with the waters of the copious thunder showers. This district also possesses mines of all the metals, the extraction of which is rigorously prohibited on account of the diamonds.
Around the diamond district there are various military detachments, to prevent the plunder of those stones, or of gold; and also to exact the duties paid upon entrance. Amongst those stations may be enumerated, first, Milho Verde; and, next in rotation, Pirahuna, Gouvea, Rio Pardo, Chapada, Arraial, Hinhahy, Rio Manço. The diamond demarcation, afar off exhibits a black perspective, swelling into a thousand rugged and uneven serras; on one hand are elevated mountains of one single stone, cut by nature into precipices that raise their heads to the clouds; on the other, are extended serras, composed of detached rocks and stones, accumulated on each other in chaotic piles, covered with a grey moss, and sparingly dressed in creeping brushwood. A thousand pure and crystalline rills warble across its rude tracts formed by the miner, and roll into his gamella[25] their rich offerings. The waters of some are dashed over the sides of mountains, others descend divided between broken rocks to the base of the serras, from whence, accumulating, they flow in serpentine courses in search of larger rivers, running sometimes tamely and tranquilly between spacious banks; at others, precipitated amongst approximating and steep serras, with loud and interesting murmurs. For a time they often disappear altogether from the sight, are again visible, flowing on in foaming fury. The crystallizations of diamonds are obtained near the surface of the earth. Their form is triangular, round, pointed on one side, with the face always smooth; this proves that the crystallization is dispersed and solitary.
In the centre of the diamond district, one hundred and thirty miles north-north-east of Marianna, one hundred and ten from Sabara, one hundred south-west of Bom Successo, and twenty-eight north-north-west of Villa do Principe, in a broken part of Serro Frio, to the west, and not far from the river Jequitinhonha, is the flourishing arraial of St. Antonio do Tijuco, situated upon an amphitheatre, with a church of St. Antonio, which has the brotherhoods of S.S., of Pasos, and of the Lady of Terco, a chapel of the Lord of Bom Fim, with a fraternity of black creoles; four of the Lady of Amparo, with a brotherhood of mulattoes; of Carmo, with a Terceira order; of Rozario, with a fraternity of African blacks; and Mercez; another of St. Francisco, handsome, and with a Terceira order; a recolhimento of Donzellas, or Virgins, with their little chapel, dedicated to the Lady of Luz; and a house of misericordia, whose chapel is called St. Isabel. It has quarters for troops, abounds with excellent water, and is rendered particularly wholesome by salubrious mountain breezes. The buildings are generally of taipa, few being of stone.
Here reside the tribunal, or diamond junta, composed of five deputies, namely, a disembargador intendente, (the intendant judge, or governor,) who is the president, with an exclusive jurisdiction in the diamond demarcation, and a salary of eight thousand crusades per annum, besides other very considerable emoluments; um corregedor fiscal, (a civil magistrate,) with 5000 crusades; um primeiro caixa, (a first book or chest keeper,) with 8000; um segundo caixa, (a second book or chest keeper,) with 6000; um inspector geral, (an inspector general,) with 4000.
There is an escrivao, or accountant of diamonds; and a merinho, or officer, for apprehending persons. The governor has an escrivao, who attends the civil and criminal proceedings. There are upwards of six thousand negroes to work for diamonds, and two hundred inspectors, who are whites and subordinate to the junta. In some years there have been found from four to five thousand oitavas (five hundred to six hundred ounces) of diamonds, and amongst them, some stones from one-eighth to five-eighths of an ounce. No one is allowed to enter this district without an express licence.
CHAP. XIII.
PROVINCE OF ESPIRITO SANTO.
Extent—Boundaries—Misfortunes of its Donatories—Spirited Resistance of the Indians—Partial Cultivation—Principally possessed by Indians—Mountains—Mineralogy—Zoology—Descents of Indians to the Coast—Phytology—Rivers and Ports—Povoações—Island of Ascension.