Though our arrival in the town excited some surprise, as we were the first of our nation who had visited it, yet the people did not regard us entirely as strangers, many of them having seen Englishmen in their frequent intercourse with Rio de Janeiro. My worthy companion had letters to some of the principal shopkeepers, which we took an early opportunity of delivering. When we spoke to them of the richness of the country, and of the quantity of gold with which it was reputed to abound, they seemed glad of the opportunity of telling us, that they believed the gold was all sent to England, adding that their capital ought now to be termed Villa Pobre, instead of Villa Rica. Indeed we were surprised to observe the comparative poverty which prevailed among them. Of above two thousand habitations, which the town contained, a considerable proportion was untenanted; and the rents of the rest were continually lowering. Houses were to be purchased at one half their real value; for instance, a house built a few years ago at one thousand pounds cost, would not now sell for more than five hundred pounds.
The mountain on which the town stands, appeared to me in length from eight to nine miles, in every part narrow and almost insulated, being surrounded by deep ravines. In riding over it in various directions, I observed it to be composed of argillaceous schistus in almost every gradation, migrating from the compact blue slate into micaceous schistus. In some parts it lies in regular strata, in others it appears in confused masses. The slate is sometimes, but not very generally, used for paving, roofing, and other similar purposes. In some parts I noticed a few slender, confused, and irregular quartzose veins of little consequence, a large proportion of ferruginous accumulations and stalactitic aggregates, together with pyrites, and a considerable quantity of quartz pebbles of all sizes. That side on which the town is built presents many small hills, which form a number of gulleys in narrow ravines. Numerous streamlets flow down from the springs in the mountain in various channels, and in rainy weather swell into cascades; they form a rivulet at its base called Rio do Carmo, which in its course from hence is joined by many others, and changes its name first into that of Rio S. Jose, and then into Rio Doce. Of the latter I shall have occasion in the sequel to speak more at large.
[CHAP. XI.]
Origin and present State of Villa Rica.—Account of the Mint.—Visit to the City of Mariana.—Excursion to the Fazendas of Barro and Castro, belonging to His Excellency the Conde de Linhares.
THE history of an establishment, which, twenty years after its foundation, was reputed the richest place on the globe, was an object of considerable interest with me, and I made many enquiries respecting it from some of the best informed men on the spot. It appears that the first discovery of this once rich mountain was effected by the enterprising spirit of the Paulistas, who, of all the colonists in Brazil, retained the largest share of that ardent and indefatigable zeal for discovery, which characterized the Lusitanians of former days. They penetrated from their capital into these regions, braving every hardship, and encountering every difficulty which a savage country, infested by still more savage inhabitants, opposed to them. They cut their way through impervious woods, carrying their provisions with them, and occasionally cultivating small patches of land to afford them food to retreat to, in case of necessity, as well as to keep up a communication with their city S. Paulo. Every inch of ground was disputed by the barbarous Indians, here called Buticudas, who were constantly either attacking them openly or lying in ambush, and but too frequently succeeded in surprising some of them, or their negroes, whom they immediately sacrificed to their horrible appetite for human flesh. They believed the negroes to be the great monkeys of the wood. The bones of the unfortunate sufferers were frequently found exposed, shocking testimonies of the barbarity of their murderers, whom the Paulistas, roused to revenge, invariably shot, wherever they met them. These examples of vengeance answered their desired end; the Indians, terrified as well by the noise as by the fatal effect of fire-arms, fled with precipitation, believing that the white men commanded lightning and thunder.
It does not appear that in exploring this territory they received any assistance whatever from the Aborigines: they followed the course of rivers, occasionally finding gold, of which they skimmed the surface, and continued to proceed until they arrived at the mountain which is our present subject. Its riches arrested their course; they immediately erected temporary houses and began their operations. The principal men of the party that first settled here, were Antonio Dias, Bartholomo Rocinho, Antonio Ferreira (filho) and Garcia Ruis. It appears that they took the most direct way to the place, for the roads they then opened are the same which are still used. The fame of their success soon reached the city of S. Paulo; fresh adventurers arrived in great numbers, bringing with them all the negroes they had means to purchase. Other adventurers went from S. Paulo to Rio de Janeiro to procure more negroes, their own city being drained; and thus the news of the lately discovered gold mountain being made known in the Brazilian capital, men of all descriptions went in crowds to this land of promise by the way of S. Paulo, which was the only route then known. The first settlers might have prevented the exposure of their good fortune, had they been able to moderate their joy, and consented to act in concert; but as gold was in such great abundance, every individual appropriated a lot of ground, and thus became a capitalist. Each strove which should make the most of his treasure in the shortest time, and thus there was a continual demand for more negroes, more iron, &c. and, in the general eagerness to obtain them, the secret, which all were interested in keeping, was disclosed. The Paulistas independent in spirit, and proud of their wealth, were desirous of giving laws to the new-comers; but the latter determining to oppose this measure, formed themselves into a party under the guidance of Manuel Nunes Vianna, an adventurer of some consequence, who strenuously asserted their claim to equal rights and advantages. Disputes arose on both sides, and were at length aggravated into hostilities, which proved unfavorable to the Paulistas, the greater part of whom fled to a considerable station of their own, and there awaited reinforcements. Vianna and his followers, without loss of time, went in pursuit of their foes, whom they found on a plain near the site of St. João d’El Rey. The two parties met on the border of a river, and a sanguinary battle took place, which ended in the defeat of the Paulistas, who afterwards made the best terms they could. The slain were buried on the margin of the river, which, from that circumstance, took the name of Rio das Mortes.
The Paulistas, bent on revenge, but weakened by defeat, appealed to the sovereign, King Pedro, denouncing Vianna and his followers as rebels, who were attempting to take the district to themselves, and set up an independent government. The King’s ministers apprised of the state of affairs, and learning by report the immense riches of the country, immediately sent a chief, with a competent body of troops, to take the advantage of the strife between the two parties; which in a country tenable by a few men, on account of its numerous strong-holds, was a most fortunate circumstance. The name of this chief was Albuquerque; a man of enterprise and perseverance, in all respects qualified for the service on which he was sent. His appearance at first occasioned much confusion and discontent among both parties; and though he was not openly opposed, yet he was in continual alarm. The Paulistas now saw that the riches which they in conjunction with their rivals might have retained, were about to be seized by a third party, which would reduce them both to subordination. Disturbances prevailed for some time, but reinforcements continually arriving from Government, tranquillity was at length perfectly established; and in the year 1711, a regular town began to be formed; a government-house, a mint, and a depôt for arms were built. A code of laws was enacted for the regulation of the mines; all gold-dust found was ordered to be delivered to officers appointed for that purpose; a fifth in weight was taken for the King, and the remaining four parts were purified, melted into ingots at the expense of Government, then assayed, marked according to their value, and delivered to the owners, with a certificate to render them current. For the greater convenience of trade, gold-dust was likewise permitted to circulate for small payments. Notwithstanding these strict regulations, a considerable quantity of the precious metal in its original state found its way to Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, and other ports, clandestinely, without paying the royal fifth, until Government, apprised of this illicit traffic, established Registers in various parts for the examination of all passengers, and stationed soldiers to patrole the roads. By these means, gold in immense quantities was seized and confiscated; the persons on whom any was found, forfeited all their property, and, unless they had friends of great influence, were sent as convicts to Africa for life. The greatest disgrace was attached to the name of smuggler; and such was the rigor of the law against offenders of this description, that every person quitting the district was obliged to take a certificate stating whither he was going, and what he carried with him. This regulation is still in force, and is rigorously observed.
Villa Rica soon enjoyed a considerable trade with Rio de Janeiro; the returns were negroes, iron, woollens, salt, provisions of various kinds, and wine, all which at that time bore amazingly high profits.
About the year 1713, when Dr. Bras da Silva was appointed governor, the quantity of gold produced was so considerable that the royal fifth amounted to above half a million sterling annually. The mountain became pierced like a honey-comb, as the miners worked every soft part they could find, and penetrated as far as they could, conveying the cascalho which they dug out to a convenient place for washing. In rainy weather the torrents of water running down the sides of the mountain, carried away much earthy matter containing delicate particles of gold, which settled in the ground near its base. When the waters abated, this rich deposit gave employment to numbers of the poorer sort of people, who took it away and washed it at their convenience.