The discovery of the original gold mine in this rich sesmaria, is said to have been owing to the following accident. Some negroes employed in clearing the land, broke up an ant-hill of considerable size, when, on laying it open to the air, for the purpose of destroying or dispersing the insects, large grains of gold were found. It is, however, highly probable that the general characteristics of the soil had led to the discovery long before this period, and that the accident here related, served only to indicate the presence of gold in a part which had not been supposed to contain any. The estate is situated almost in the centre of the mining country, and is reputed one of the richest portions of it. The owner and his brother, who are partners, have conducted their concerns in a liberal way, and are said to be very wealthy. It was my wish to have staid a day or two for the purpose of inspecting the extensive works which they have opened; but I forebore to make any request of this nature, as I perceived, or supposed, some little jealousy or suspicion respecting my views. It seemed to be the opinion here, as well as in other places, that I had a mission from Government, authorizing me to enquire into the state of the mines, and give a report concerning them.
In riding past the works, after having taken leave of the Capitao I did not perceive any machinery used for facilitating manual labor. The tedious process of washing by hand was most generally practised; in some instances inclined canoes were used, which, if carried to the degree of improvement of which they are susceptible, might much more effectually answer the purpose.
Between the mountain on Capitao Felicio’s estate and the village of Sabará is a rich mining district, which extends also to Bromare, over a continuation of hilly country. It is occupied by several opulent miners, who possess many fine grounds still unworked. A tract of land a few miles in extent is appropriated to agricultural purposes, being reputed to be destitute of gold.
I proceeded four leagues, over a well-watered and finely-wooded country, to a hamlet called Vaz, a name which had become familiar to my ear through the frequent mention which my soldiers made of “the good old man of Vaz.” This person, whose reception of me fully justified the appellation with which he had been distinguished, was a farmer from Oporto, who had been resident here about forty years. He bought the estate with twenty negroes upon it, and paid for it by yearly instalments in twenty years afterwards. This mode of disposing of estates is much practised, being at once easy to the purchaser, and advantageous to the seller, as it ensures to the latter a better price than he could obtain on the condition of immediate payment. The house, which is well-built and convenient, has a sugar-mill and distillery attached to it. The sugar is generally sent to Rio, under an agreement with the carrier, giving him half or sometimes two-thirds of the proceeds, with a promise of back-carriage of salt, iron, and other commodities.
Owing to the kind assiduities of my worthy host, the evening passed very agreeably. Many of the neighbours came to see and converse with me, as I was the first Englishman, or perhaps foreigner, who had ever travelled so far into the interior. Their curiosity led them to examine almost every implement I carried with me; my saddle, bridle, and stirrups, were viewed with great attention; nor could they imagine how it was possible to sit in the former with any degree of safety. There was no convincing them that it was much preferable to the Portuguese saddle, which has a ridge about eight inches high, both before and behind, so that the rider is, as it were, in the stocks, and, though not so liable to be thrown out, has a most galling and uncomfortable seat.
The next morning I visited the negroes’ houses, and was much pleased to find one set apart for the reception of poor distressed travelling negroes, who here find a fatherly protection, and are allowed to stay as long a time as may suit their necessities. On taking leave of the good old gentleman, I could not prevail on him to accept any remuneration for his kindness, and he replied to my thanks with the warmest assurances of welcome. I crossed a fine stream, and rode through several plantations of sugar-cane, which were at this season nearly ready for cutting. The country, as we proceeded, gradually became more mountainous, and abounded with argillaceous schistus very full of quartz. After riding about sixteen miles, we saw a very singular mountain, or bare rock of granite, called Itambé, forming part of a high ridge which lay on our left. About four o’clock we arrived at a poor village, also called Itambé, situated near a fine river of the same name. This place was formerly of some consequence, but as the gold in its vicinity failed, it sunk into poverty and wretchedness. It contains about a thousand inhabitants, who, degraded to the lowest stage of inactive apathy, looked as if they were the ghosts of their progenitors haunting the ruins of their departed wealth.
Every thing about them bore a cheerless aspect; the houses were ready to fall to the ground through want of repair; the door-places were overgrown with grass, and the patches of garden-ground that here and there appeared, were covered with weeds. The face of the country, too, was entirely different from that which I had passed on my way hither, being universally sterile, dry, and stony. It may well be supposed, from this description, that our accommodations here were of the worst kind: we halted at a miserable abode, where they offered us some mouldy Indian corn and feijones, and, after a great deal of difficulty, procured us a fowl. My servant was obliged to clean all the utensils before they could be used; and the soldiers while cooking, were obliged to guard the pot lest some half-famished prowler should steal it. The commandant of the place, with whom we had afterwards some conversation, answered our remarks on the visible signs of starvation in the looks of the villagers, by coolly saying, “While they get Indian corn to eat, and water to drink, they will not die of hunger.” I was glad to depart from this home of famine as fast as possible, heartily joining in the exclamation which the Portuguese have bestowed upon it; “Das mizerias de Itambé libera nos Domine!”—(From the miseries of Itambé the Lord deliver us!)
After riding about five miles, we came to the River Das Onzas, so named from the numbers of those animals which formerly infested its banks. Changing our mules at a village called Lagos, cosisting of a few miserable fazendas, we proceeded a league over a most rugged and mountainous road, and passing a ridge, entered on a fine country, presenting to view a grand picturesque mountain nearly a league distant from us; about mid-way up was a large house, to which we directed our course. We forded a rather deep river called Rio Negro, on account of the blackness of its waters, caused by the decomposition of bituminous or vegetable matter. Its margin, along which we rode for some distance, presented some fine grazing land. Passing through a broken and irregular tract of country, we arrived at another deserted village called Gaspar Soares, and rode up to the house above-mentioned, the owner of which was from home, but his lady received me very politely. Having arrived rather early in the evening, I employed myself some time in walking about the grounds: the mountain on which the house stands consists almost entirely of micaceous iron ore[41]; the wall before the door of the house was built of that substance. In some parts, to my great surprise, I observed it lying in regular strata, not more than an inch in thickness, between beds of white sand. The quantity of ore found in this neighbourhood is so considerable as to have induced Government to commence an iron-work, under the direction of Dr. Manoel Ferreira da Camara, Intendant of the Diamond District. In aid of this undertaking, the gentleman, at whose house I was a guest, has presented a square league of woodland, the only tract of that description in the neighbourhood. The ground for the intended works is marked out, and a few blocks of stone are prepared; but the undertaking seems to go on very slowly, and probably will not arrive at any great degree of perfection.
This hill and the streams near it were formerly rich in gold, but they have been completely washed, and are at present as much exhausted as the works at Itambé. A rivulet which runs over the top of the hill afforded conveniences for washing, which are very rarely to be met with; it is now intended to be converted to the use of the iron manufactory.
On the following day I continued my route northerly, over a fine country, and, after riding, or rather walking, about six miles of bad road with wretched mules, ascended a hill abounding with rich compact iron ore. Two leagues of the way were covered with excellent oxide of iron, and it appeared as if the hills were entirely covered with that substance. Without any material occurrence, we arrived at a beautiful rivulet, near which stood a miserable hut, where two women were weaving cotton. This place, apparently so insignificant, proved one of the most interesting, in a mineralogical point of view, which I had hitherto visited. It is called Lagos, and also bears the name of Ouro Branco (White Gold), in allusion to a granular substance, not unlike gold in size and weight, found in a gold-washing in the bed of the stream. This substance, which has since been proved to be platina, was discovered many years ago in the cascalho below the vegetable earth, and incumbent on the solid rock, accompanied with gold and black oxide of iron. From these circumstances the people judged it to be gold united with some other metal, from which it could not be separated; and, as the quantity of real gold found was small, and the white gold, as they called it, was not known to be of value, the work was gradually neglected, and at length abandoned. I procured a specimen of the substance: it appeared accompanied with osmium and iridium, and was in rougher grains than the platina brought from the province of Choco; which latter circumstance may be owing to its not having been triturated with mercury. Now that the substance is known to be platina, it is doubtful whether the work might be resumed with advantage, as the demand for that article is at present so small, that the quantity sold would hardly pay expenses. Near this place is a work called Mata Cavallos.