man.

Near St. Ritta are some gold-washings in the river of the same name,
and not far from them, diamonds also are found. Since seeking or
digging for diamonds is no longer an imperial monopoly, every one is
at liberty to employ himself in this occupation, and yet it is
exercised as much as possible in secret. No one will acknowledge
looking for them, in order to avoid paying the State its share as
fixed by law. The precious stones are sought for and dug out at
certain spots, from heaps of sand, stones, and soil, which have been
washed down by the heavy rains.

I had found lodgings in a venda for the last time, the preceding
evening, at Canto Gallo. I had now to rely upon the hospitality of
the proprietors of the fazendas. Custom requires that, on reaching
a fazenda, any person who desires to stop the middle of the day or
the night there, should wait outside and ask, through the servant,
permission to do so. It is not until his application is granted,
which is almost always the case, that the traveller dismounts from
his mule, and enters the building.

They received me at the Fazenda of Boa Esperanza in the most
friendly manner, and, as I happened to arrive exactly at dinner-time
(it was between 3 and 4 o'clock), covers were immediately laid for
me and my attendant. The dishes were numerous, and prepared very
nearly in the European fashion.

Great astonishment was manifested in every venda and fazenda at
seeing a lady arrive accompanied only by a single servant. The
first question was, whether I was not afraid thus to traverse the