Observations on Tejuco and Cerro do Frio.
IN the foregoing pages I have endeavoured to present to the reader a narrative of whatever I observed worthy of note in the Diamond District, and have related the several particulars in the order in which they occurred to me, reserving the task of general description for that period of my residence there when I might be supposed best qualified to perform it. This mode of proceeding will expose me to the risk of a few repetitions, for which my apology must rest on the peculiar circumstances under which I visited Tejuco,—on the continual journeys in which I was occupied from the moment of my arrival to the time when I was attacked by illness, and which left me no leisure for combining my actual observations with general views of the country.
The district of Cerro do Frio consists of rugged mountains, that have a northerly and southerly direction, and are generally allowed to be the highest in Brazil. What is termed the Diamond ground, extends about sixteen leagues from north to south, and about eight from east to west. It was first explored by some enterprising miners from Villa do Principe, a few years after the establishment of that town. These men proceeding northerly found an open country, watered by many small rivulets, which they tried for gold by washing: some of them engaged their attention for a short time, but not proving sufficiently rich, they continued their route, passing the places now called San Gonçalo and Milho Verde, until they arrived at a few streams that flow from the base of the mountain on which Tejuco is built. These rivulets were then washed for gold, and were considered as belonging to the district of Villa do Principe. No idea was at first entertained that the rivulets contained diamonds, although it is said that some were collected and presented to the then governor of Villa do Principe as curious bright stones, and were used by him as counters at cards. Soon afterwards a few of them found their way to Lisbon, and were given as pretty pebbles to the Dutch minister to send to Holland, which was then the principal mart in Europe for precious stones. The lapidaries, to whom they were presented for examination, pronounced these pebbles to be very fine diamonds. Information was accordingly sent to the Dutch consul at Lisbon, who did not fail to profit by the occasion; for he managed the affair with Government so well, that he contracted for the precious stones, at the same time that he communicated the intelligence. Government afterwards endeavoured to monopolize the diamonds, and made a distinct district of Cerro do Frio, placing it under peculiar laws and regulations.
The number of diamonds sent over during the first twenty years after the discovery is said to be almost incredible, and to exceed one thousand ounces in weight. This supply could not fail to diminish the general value of diamonds, as none had ever before been known to come from any other part of the globe, except India, whither the Brazilian diamonds were afterwards sent, and found a better market there than in Europe.
By stratagems and intrigues Government was prevailed on to let these invaluable territories to a company, who were under stipulations to work with a limited number of negroes, or to pay a certain sum per day for every negro employed. This opened a door to every species of fraud; double the stipulated number of negroes was admitted; and this imposition was connived at by the agents of Government, who received pay in one hand and bribes in the other. Presents were made to men possessing influence at court, by the contractors, who soon became rich; and they continued (subject to a few regulations) in possession of the diamond mines until about the year 1772, when, Government determining to take them into their own hands, these contracts were ended.
This was the time for reforming abuses, and for placing this rich district under the best regulations, but it was neglected; prejudice prevailed over prudence; and the management was entrusted to men who did not understand the real interests of the concern, or, what is more probable, who were so shackled in their authority, that they could not pursue them. From this time, affairs became worse, and the establishment was in debt to foreigners, who had advanced a considerable sum of money on the security of having all the diamonds which the mines produced. There were other incumbrances, which can be removed only by a total change of system. In its present state the establishment appears to produce much greater wealth than it actually does. During a period of five years, from 1801 to 1806 inclusive, the expenses were £204,000; and the diamonds sent to the treasury at Rio de Janeiro weighed 115,675 carats. The value of gold found in the same period amounted to £17,300 sterling, from which it appears that the diamonds actually cost Government thirty-three shillings and nine-pence per carat. These years were esteemed singularly productive; the mines do not in general yield to Government more than 20,000 carats annually[56].
The town is under the absolute government of the Intendant. The principal officers of the civil and military establishments are, an ouvidor or fiscal, a captain of cavalry, and a capitao mor. In the Diamond establishment there is a great number of officers, of whom the following are the principal: 1st, the Intendant, who is a judge, and intendant-general of the Diamond district (this office is one of the best in the gift of the crown): 2d. the Treasurer, whose situation is almost a sinecure; he receives 8,000 crusades per annum: and 3d. the Administrator-general, who has a salary of 6000. The book-keeper has 4,000; and three clerks, or key-keepers, have from 800 to 1,000 each. These officers are employed in whatever relates to the treasury, or to the general concerns of the establishment; they all reside in Tejuco, and are the most respectable of the inhabitants. The management of the different works is entrusted to eight or ten under-administrators, each having in his care two hundred negroes, called a troop; to which, besides a clergyman and a surgeon, are attached several overseers and subordinate officers, who have salaries of from 400 to 200 crusades. The privilege of employing a certain number of negroes in the works is common to all the officers, to an extent corresponding with their rank; the superior officers let to hire as many as they please, say forty, and sometimes upwards of fifty; the inferior officers are permitted to let out two or three, in preference to other individuals; a decidedly bad practice, as will be shown hereafter.
The Intendant holds a place of great trust: he is the superior magistrate, and his duty is to administer justice, and to see that the laws peculiar to the district are duly executed. He is of course president of the assembly, or juncta, and calls meetings whenever he thinks proper; he disposes of the military force of the district, orders roads to be made or stopped, and stations guards on them to examine travellers, and to detain suspicious persons. He has also the privilege of giving or refusing permission for persons to enter the district, or settle in it; and every one, however high in rank and property, who passes thither is supposed to have the Intendant’s express concurrence, which, as a matter of form, is sometimes dispensed with. He appoints officers, signs all papers, receives all reports that are made, and acts accordingly. To him solely the treasury is entrusted for the payment of the salaries of the officers, the negroes’ wages, tradesmen’s bills, and every incidental expense attending the establishment. He issues paper-money, and withdraws it from circulation whenever he thinks proper; for all which he is responsible to Government alone, and may be said to be almost absolute in his office.
In addition to these important functions, the present Intendant has assumed the whole direction and regulation of the mining concern, which none of his predecessors ever practically interfered with, it being the peculiar province of the Administrator-general. For this undertaking he is equally qualified by the superiority of his talents, and by the extent of his acquirements: he studied mineralogy many years under the celebrated Werner, by whom he was considered as one of his most enlightened disciples; afterwards he travelled through Hungary, and all the most interesting German states; and, lastly, made the tour of England and Scotland, where he resided two years.