covering of mountains. These masses are formed of a bed of ferruginous
sand, with rolled flints, forming an ochreous pudding-stone, from the
decomposition of emery and muddy iron-ore; it is called _cascalho_, and
the beds, or strata, _taboleiros_. These _taboleiros_ have different
names, according to their situation or their nature. When the stratum is
horizontal, and in the plane of the bed of the river, it is properly
called a _taboleiro_; but if it rises in banks, it is called _gopiara_:
lastly, if the pudding-stone contains much emery, it is then denominated
_tabanhua cauga_ in Brazilian, that is to say, black-stone or
iron-stone.
In some places the _cascalho_ is uncovered, in others, it lies beneath a
kind of vegetable muddy earth, _humus damascena_, _Linn_, or beneath a
reddish fat sand, which sometimes contains roundish flints. This happens
in the returns of the mountains, or upon the banks of great torrents.
This sand is called _pisarra_. The bank, or stratum beneath the
_cascalho_, is either shistus, rather sandy, or the solid bog-ore of
iron. It is likewise in the _cascalho_ that gold in spangles and in
pyrites is found; the former of which is, in my opinion, afforded by the
decomposition of the auriferous pyrites; for the gold in veins has
another form, and its matrix is either fat quartz, or fine grained
tender _cos_, micaceous gneis, or the quartzose ore of iron, _tophus
ferreus_. Linn.
The exploring of diamonds is performed by changing the beds of streams,
in order that the sand or gravel may be washed, and the diamonds
selected; or by breaking the _cascalho_ with large hammers, and
afterwards washing it in troughs. This washing differs from that of
gold, because it requires a small quantity of very clear water, and very
little of the _cascalho_ at a time; proportions, which are precisely
contrary to those required in washing gold. Black slaves are employed in
this business, entirely naked, excepting a cloth round their middle, in
order that they may not embezzle any of the diamonds; but in spite of
every precaution, and the vigilance of numerous inspectors, they
nevertheless find means of concealing them, which they sell at a very
low price, to the interlopers, for tobacco and rum.
_An estimate of the Sums produced to the Portugueze Government from the
Brazil Diamonds._
The diamond mines in Brazil, have at different times brought in
different sums to the Portugueze government. Towards the middle of the
last century such great quantities of the Brazil diamonds came to
Europe; that the value of diamonds of every description was so much
decreased, that the London jewellers refused to buy them at any price.
The author of the _Treatise on Diamonds_ seems to doubt the existence of
the diamond mines in Brazil, and to believe that the great profusion of
those stones sold by the Portugueze in the different markets of Europe,
were not the produce of their American, but Asiatic colonies. It will be
easy to judge of the amount of the profit arising to the Portugueze
government, during several years, from the sale of these diamonds, by
the following statement. At the epoch of the dreadful earthquake in
Lisbon; some English merchants had a contract with those Portugueze who
had the direct management of the diamond mines in Brazil, to pay them
120,000l. sterling. The principal conditions of the above contract
(according to the account given me by an English gentleman who signed
it) were as follows:--the Portugueze directors engaged to secure to the
English merchants the exclusive sale of the Brazil diamonds; the latter
engaged on their part to take 40,000 carats of rough diamonds, for which
they were to pay at the rate of 3l. a carat; making the sum total of
120,000l. sterling. An agreement was also made relative to the purchase
and choice of the diamonds. On the cases which contained them being
brought from Brazil, they were not to be opened but in presence of the
English merchants, which being done, the diamonds were spread on a large
table; and a person skilled in precious stones being appointed by the
said merchants, he made choice of the most valuable diamonds, excepting
those above twenty carats (very few in number), which were reserved for
the crown of Portugal. The original contractors being succeeded by
others, the price was reduced to 2l. 1s. 8d. sterling a carat; but for
some time past this branch of trade has been taken out of the hands of
the English, and is in the exclusive possession of the king. The exact
sum resulting from this new arrangement is not known, but we have reason
to believe it amounts on an average to about 60,000l. sterling,
annully.
_An Estimate of the Value of Brazil Diamonds_, &c.
The white diamonds of Brazil when they weigh only from four to five
carats, are of equal value with the Oriental ones of the same weight;
but when of a larger size, the latter are much more esteemed, on account
of the fineness of the water.
The Brazil topaz is esteemed the most valuable next to the Oriental one:
it is of a fine yellow, with an orange tint, and takes a very good
polish. This topaz, weighing only one carat, is valued, if perfect, at
six French livres (5s.), and encreases in value according to its weight,
which is determined by the following calculation, as made for the
Oriental topaz. Mr. Dutens esteems the Oriental topaz, when perfect, at
sixteen French livres (13s. 4d.) the first carat. To know the value of
one weighing three or four carats, it is requisite to multiply the one
by the other, and to multiply the product by 16; the same rules to be
observed for topazes of a greater weight; so that an Oriental and
perfect topaz, valued at sixteen livres (13s. 4d.) the first carat,
weighing sixteen grains, or four carats, would be worth two hundred and
fifty-six French livres (10l. 13s. 4d.), whilst a Brazil topaz weighing
likewise four carats, would be only worth ninety-six French livres[55]
(4l.). There is also another sort of topaz in Brazil, of a very
particular nature: it is of a very variable and extraordinary hue, and,
being put into a small crucible, filled with ashes, on a slow fire, and
taken off when the crucible becomes red, loses its yellow orange colour,
and changes to that of the real Balas ruby, the tinge of which is
generally beautiful. This topaz is frequently of a dark, smoky, dirty
yellow, and was very little esteemed till a jeweller by chance
discovered the abovementioned process, which was kept a profound secret,
till Mr. Dumelle, goldsmith and working jeweller, disclosed it to the
Academy of Sciences of Paris, by the means of Mr. Guettard.[56] Many
people are of opinion, that the rubies at present brought from Brazil
are merely topazes, which have undergone the said operation. The fine
crystallization of the Oriental ruby is octoedrical equally with the
diamond. That of Brazil crystallizes in prismes, of unequal planes,
terminating in pyramids, there are likewise other rubies of a rounder
form, owing to their having been rolled in the water. This stone is
supposed to take its red colour from iron. The most esteemed rubies come
from the island of Ceylon, and are thought more valuable than even those
from Pegu. The _rubacelle_, or small ruby, very common in Brazil, is of
a pale red, with a yellow cast; and is the cheapest and least esteemed
of any stones of that description; they, however, take a very good
polish; and the most perfect amongst them are sometimes passed off for
_Balas_ rubies. This last stone may be estimated at thirty French livres
(1l. 5s.) one carat; those of two carats at sixty French livres (2l.
10s.), those of three carats at ninety livres (3l. 15s.), and those of
four carats at one hundred and twenty livres (5l.), &c.
The mines of Brazil also produce emeralds, which are _striated_, and
terminate in an obtuse pyramid. They are found in oblong prismes of 6,
8, 9, 10, and 12 unequal planes; they are of a dark green colour, with a
brownish tinge, and of a very fine water. A fine emerald, weighing a
carat and a half, may be estimated at 5l. sterling: those of two carats
at 10l. sterling; but over and above this weight, the value of the
emerald does not augment in proportion to its size, and even those of
the largest kind, if perfect, are still subject to an arbitrary
valuation.
Brazil produces two sorts of chrysolites; the one nearly resembles in
colour the stone called by the French jewellers Oriental _Peridot_,[57]
except that it is a little darker, and mixed with yellow; this
chrysolite being not so hard as the _peridot_, the polish is not quite
so brilliant. The other Brazil chrysolite is straw coloured, with a
tinge of beautiful green, producing a very fine effect: it is extremely
hard, and takes an excellent polish. These chrysolites, when of an apple
green, or straw colour with a greenish hue, may be estimated at 1l.
sterling the carat: 2l. sterling those of two carats; 3l. sterling those
of three carats; and so on, always at the rate of 1l. the carat.
NOTE.
Since this Work has been in the Press, Mr. Grant's History of Brazil has
been published; and I have much pleasure in remarking, that his account
of the Civil Government, and situation of the Country, is frequently
drawn from the same sources as my own. I flatter myself this truly
estimable author will pardon my taking notice of an error which has
crept into his Work relative to Villegagnon, whom he mentions in the 42d
page of his History as having retired (after his return from Brazil)
into a monastery of his own order, and spent the remainder of his life
in writing against the protestants.[58] The fact is, that there were
never any monasteries for men in the order of Malta, and that
Villegagnon, soon after he came back from his expedition, was named
ambassador from his order to Paris, which post he occupied from 1568 to
1570, when he quitted his embassy on account of ill-health, and died on
the 9th of February (and not in the month of December, as said by
_Léry_), 1571, at his commandery of Beauvais.
FINIS.
R. Juigné, Printer, 17, Margaret-st. Cavendish-sq.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Preface to l'Etat du Portugal, page 17.
[2] Etat du Portugal, p. 267.
[3] In the 37th volume of the philosophical transactions, No. 421,
pages 199 and 201, there is a letter concerning diamonds, lately found
in Brazil, by _Jacob de Castro Sarmento_.
[4] The dominions of Spain are denominated Old and New Spain.
[5] Theodore Godefroy, in his treaty on the origin of the kings of
Portugal.
[6] There is a vulgar tradition relative to don Sebastian, whom
some Portugueze believe to be still alive. This gave rise to lord
Tyrawley's laughable speech of "what can one possibly do with a
nation, one half of which expect the Messiah, and the other half
their king, don Sebastian, who has been dead two hundred years?" This
tradition also caused another piece of pleasantry, which was attended
by very dreadful consequences. The queen of Portugal, standing at the
window, attended by her court, perceived a great water-spout rise
in the air. "Ah!" laughingly exclaimed she, "here is the king, don
Sebastian, returned amongst us." "That cannot be, madam," replied
the counte d'Obydos, one of the first noblemen in Portugal, "since
don Sebastian reigns over us at present;" alluding to don Sebastian
Carvalho, the prime minister. Two hours after this ill-timed jest, the
counte was imprisoned in the dungeon of St. Julian's tower.--(_See
Dumouriez, Etat du Portugal._)
[7] The Dutch and Catalonians.
[8] The first assembly took place on the 12th of October, in the
garden of Antonio d'Almada. The archbishop of Lisbon was not present
at the opening of it, and the conspiracy was in a state of great
forwardness before he made his appearance. Vertot is not always very
accurate in his account of these different assemblies.
[9] d'Acugna.
[10] Don Sebastian de Mattos de Norogna.
[11] Connestagio.
[12] The conspiracy once formed, there was never any question of a
republican government, nor of bestowing the crown on any other than
the duke of Braganza.
[13] Cardinal de Richelieu.
[14] _Ad hæc politicas artes, bonos et malos regiminis dolos,
dominationis arcana, humani latibula ingenii non modò intelligere
mulier, sed et pertractare quoque ac provehere; tam naturâ quam
disciplinâ mirificè instructa fuit._ Caetan. Passar. de Bello Lusitan.
[15] Some authors say this question was asked by Paes, the duke's
secretary.
[16] Sousa de Maceda mentions Almada as the preserver of the
archbishop.
[17] Don Juan da Costa.
[18] Donna Maria de Lancastro spoke to the same purpose, though in
still stronger language, to her two sons, don Ferdinand Teller, and
Antonio Teller de Silva: "Go forth, my sons, go forth and fight for
your country; and be assured, that did not the weakness of my sex
prevent me, I would myself accompany you to the place of action, and
either conquer or perish in so glorious a cause."
[19] Corregedor do Civel.
[20] The king, kneeling down, took the coronation oath, in the
following terms:--
"I here promise and make oath, to rule and govern this kingdom, and to
administer justice to the utmost of my power, with prudence, wisdom,
and moderation; and to maintain the usages, customs, privileges, and
rights of the nation, as they were granted and confirmed by the kings
my predecessors, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost!"
The three estates, composed of the nobility, clergy, and people,
then took the oath of allegiance. This ceremony was commenced by the
archbishop of Lisbon:--
"I swear," said he, placing his hand on the new testament, "that I
receive and acknowledge for my true and lawful lord and sovereign, the
high, mighty, and great king, don John the IVth, to whom I pay homage
as such, in the name of the whole body of the clergy." The other
members of the assembly took the same oath.
[21] The king and the three estates took the same oath as had before
been taken at the coronation; and the states-general acknowledged don
Theodosius, the son of the duke of Braganza, as prince of Portugal,
and lawful successor to the crown.
[22] Mello, whom the king of Portugal sent into France on this
occasion, was witty and intelligent; and speaking to the queen of
France, the sister of Philip the IVth, he expressed his fear that his
embassy must be painful to her majesty, since it tended to deprive
the king her brother of a kingdom: to which the queen replied, "It is
indeed a truth that I am the sister of his catholic majesty; but am I
not at the same time the mother of the dauphin?"
The queen, conversing afterwards with different noblemen who
accompanied the ambassador, in the Castilian tongue, Mello took the
liberty of asking why she had not addressed him in the same language?
"From the fear of giving you pain," answered the queen. "That
would have been the case," replied Mello, "had I regarded you as a
Castilian, but as a great queen the effect would have been different."
[23] Olivares was perfectly well acquainted with this _Baëse_, who
having been extremely serviceable to him on different occasions, he
had invested him with the honourable order of Christ. The Portugueze
nobility, offended at seeing the order so degraded, could not help
observing, "that the duke ought either to raise him still higher, or
condemn him to the gallows."
[24] John the IVth was of the middle size, but not very well shaped.
His hair was light, his eyes sparkling, his complexion ruddy and
animated, and his countenance particularly pleasing. He was surnamed
the _fortunate_, but he scarcely ever appeared at the head of his
army; it may therefore be said of him, as Edward the IIId of England
said of the French king Charles the Vth, sirnamed the wise, "that no
monarch ever appeared so seldom in arms, or gained so many victories."
[25] Her _Welch_ uncle, _i. e._ her father's or mother's first cousin.
[26] See Memoirs of Fremont d' Ablancourt.
[27] Memoirs of Fremont d'Ablancourt.
[28] This event was not quite believed to be the effect of chance.
[29] At Cintra, on the 12th of September.
[30] Mr. Ferrand. See Esprit de l'Histoire, tom. IV. p. 181.
[31] L'Art de vérifier les dates.
[32] Henry, marquis de Ruvigny, who acted as general agent to the
protestant nobility in France, went to England on the revocation of
the edict of Nantes, where he was naturalized, and was made earl of
Galway, which title he bore ever afterwards.
James Fitzjames, duke of Berwick, was the natural son of king James
the IId, by Arabella Churchill, the sister of the famous duke of
Marlborough. Montesquieu observes, that the family of Churchill
produced two men, one of whom was destined to _shake_, and the other
to _support_, at the same time, the two greatest monarchies in Europe.
[33] This defeat was partly attributed to the marquis de Frontera and
lord Galway, having refused to admit the French refugees as officers
in the Portugueze regiments, which obliged them to have recourse to
foreign officers, for the regiments of cavalry and dragoons, which had
been newly levied, to recruit the great losses sustained by the army.
[34] This reply calls to remembrance the noble answer made by the
cardinal de Fleury, (when bishop of Fréjus) to the duke of Savoy, who
having passed the Var, at the head of a considerable army, entered
Provence, and tried to induce the bishop to swear allegiance to him.
"Your royal highness," said he, "must be convinced that I shall never
fail in my duty to Louis the Great, my lawful, and only sovereign;
besides it is scarcely worth the pains to acknowledge your royal
highness, for the very short time you will remain in Provence."
This proof of attachment being represented to Louis the XIVth, laid
the foundation of M. de Fleury's future grandeur.
[35] He, however, took care to place a great collection of books in
this convent; but Mafra being four leagues from Lisbon, this library
could be but of little advantage to that city.
[36] Quien de la Neufville, author of a well-written history of
Portugal, being at that time at Lisbon in the suite of the abbé
Mornay, ambassador from France, was consulted on this occasion by his
majesty.
[37] Dumourier's Etat de Portugal.
[38] See Dumourier's Etat de Portugal.
[39] See Dumourier.
[40] In justification of so great an act of severity, the minister
published a work, entitled, _A summary Account of the Conduct and late
Actions of the Jesuits in Paraguay; and their Intrigues in the Court
of Lisbon_.
[41] The minister having strictly examined into the state of the
manufactories, found wanting more than twenty very necessary ones.
Those he afterwards established, of cotton, silk, and glass,
occasioned the most violent disputes between the courts of London and
Lisbon. See the administration of the marquis de Pombal, vols. 2 and 3.
[42] This affair, we well know, has been differently related; but we
prefer following the example of the author of _L'Etat de Portugal_,
and giving the same account of this transaction, which was transmitted
by Monsieur Favier to the court of France.
[43] A house of public entertainment, belonging to the foreign
merchants, who that evening gave a ball in honour of the marriage of
the prime minister's daughter.
[44] These were the terms employed in the warrant for securing their
persons. See _administration of the marquis de Pombal_.
[45] He was condemned as author of two books, the production of a
disordered imagination, which he wrote in the royal prison. The first,
in Portugueze, was entitled, _The Heroic and admirable Life of the
glorious St. Anne_; and the second, written in Latin, was called,
_Tractatus de vitâ et imperio Antichristi_.
[46] The royal edict for the banishment of the Jesuites is dated on
the 3d of September, 1759.
[47] Those who wish to be more particularly informed of the military
operations of this campaign, and the reforms made by the German
prince, count de la Lippe, may consult _L'Etat du Portugal_, _by
Dumourier_.
[48] The king having no male issue, the infanta Mary Frances
Elizabeth, his eldest daughter, born on the 17th of September, 1734,
became, according to the fundamental laws of the kingdom, heir to the
crown. Several foreign princes wished to obtain her hand; but the
king, desirous of pleasing his people, bestowed her on his brother,
don Pedro. See _l'art de vérifier les dates_.
[49] The marquis de Pombal was on the point of going to London, where
a house was already prepared for him; but the queen objected to his
departure, and promised to protect him against the power of his
enemies. On his death she bestowed all his titles and possessions on
his son, together with the commanderies given him by Joseph the Ist.
We are happy to find he has not proved ungrateful, the marquis de
Pombal having attended her majesty to Brazil.
[50] It is a known fact, that the Romans, unable to subdue Viriatus,
caused him to be basely assassinated in the year 140 before Christ;
and that 70 years before the Christian era, Sertorius was killed at
table, by Perpenua.
[51] Etat du Portugal, p. 216.
[52] This slight sketch of the natural history of Brazil, is taken
from _l'Histoire générale des Voyages, par M. de la Harpe_. The letter
P. is the abbreviation of _Pison_, and the Letter M. of _Marcgraf_;
the figures mark the page in the Works of the said authors, entitled
as follows:--_Guill._ _Pisonis de Indiæ utriusque re naturali_,
_Amst. Lud. et Dan. Elzev. in fol._ 1658: _Georg. Marcgravii_, _Hist.
Naturalis Brasiliæ_, _edit. in fol. Lugd. Batav. et Amst._ 1648.
[53] This part of the account of the diamonds of Brazil is taken from
Nicholson's translation of Andrado's Mémoirs, read at the Society of
Natural History, in Paris.
[54] The richest and finest diamond mines, however, are not the
American ones; but are situated in Asia, in the kingdoms of Golconda
and Visiapour, on the shore of the Ganges, in Pegu, and in the island
of Borneo.
[55] According to the above rule, the king of Portugal's diamond,
weighing 11 ounces, 5 gros, 24 carats, would, if perfect be worth
224,500,000l. sterling; but this diamond has many flaws, and is of a
yellowish water.
[56] See Journal Econ. 8 Oct. 1751.
[57] This name is given by the French jewellers to a precious stone
of a yellowish green. Mr. Lehman has given a curious and learned
dissertation on this stone, inserted in the Mem. of the Acad. of
Berlin. See the year 1755, p. 202.
[58] See Bayle's Dictionary.
* * * * *
Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:
In-Indiæ=> In-Indiæ {pg 290}
Inez de Casto=> Inez de Castro {pg xxiv}
surpise=> surprise {pg xxiv}
Viscu=> Viseu {pg 5}
reigns of government=> reins of government {pg 9}
disuade=> dissuade {pg 11}
conqering=> conquering {pg 13}
enevitably=> inevitably {pg 31}
prefering=> preferring {pg 28}
Peter de Mendoca=> Peter de Mendoça {pg 40, 48}
indispensible=> indispensable {pg 46}
atchieving=> atchieving {pg 49}
citizens=> citizens' {pg 101}
independant=> independent {pg 110}
Estevarn d'Acugna=> Estevan d'Acugna {pg 70}
duke of Braganzá=> duke of Braganza {pg 94}
banished Portugal=> banished from Portugal {pg 118}
fidelity of of a man=> fidelity of a man {pg 144}
Cindad-Real=> Ciudad-Real {pg 146}
ideot=> idiot {pg 167}
for the purchasing a variety=> for the purchasing of a variety {pg 214}
garrsion=> garrison {pg 272}
in in this town=> in this town {pg 276}
particulary=> particularly {pg 293}
are are oblong=> are oblong {pg 306}