As the object of my journey into this district was to examine into the real state of affairs, and to give a true report of them on my return, for which purpose I was furnished with many privileges never allowed to any person before, and was thus enabled to see all that I desired, humanity requires that I should make some observations on the fate of those unfortunate persons who have been tempted to smuggle diamonds, and have been caught in the act. I even mentioned the subject to His Excellency, the minister, on my return to Rio de Janeiro; but as his occupations were great, and the state of my health required me to leave the country immediately, nothing more was said of it.
The great demand for these precious articles, and the facility of secreting them, have caused them to be searched for and carried away in violation of the existing laws of the country. Of the numbers who have engaged in this illicit traffic, from an eager desire to become rich at once, many have eluded the vigilance of the guards, and have finished their career with credit and opulence; others less fortunate have been detected, and have incurred the punishment annexed to the offence, namely, the surrender of their illegally acquired treasure, the confiscation of their whole property, and exile to Africa, or confinement, perhaps for life, in a loathsome prison. Mild as are the criminal laws of Brazil, the latter part of this sentence is an exception at which human nature shudders. Surely, when a poor wretch, who has been tempted to this offence, has atoned for it by the loss of all he possessed, he has suffered sufficiently without being subjected to the forfeiture of personal liberty, and to all the woes incident to hopeless captivity. Far be it from me to countenance any infringement on the laws which have been established for the protection of property, either public or private; to respect the institutions of whatever nation I may live in, I hope I shall always be among the first, and to encourage others to disregard them, the very last; for illicit trade of every description is a deceitful and dangerous pursuit, the sweets of which are ever attended with a counteracting portion of evils. The object of my reasoning is to shew that these degraded persons have been of service to the state, and may still be rendered useful to it. May it be permitted me to enquire who were the discoverers of perhaps all the diamond mines which have enriched the caskets of the royal family of Portugal beyond comparison with those of any other state, and which have not only augmented the revenues of the government, but have proved the source from which many respectable and enterprising individuals have derived their opulence? Adventurers, who, at great risk and with indefatigable toil, have penetrated unknown forests, and explored deep ravines among the haunts of the savage Anthropophagi, in search of gold-mines, and in them have by chance found diamonds. When a place of this description has been once discovered by these men, it seldom remains long secret; the agents of Government take possession of it, and either work it immediately, or guard it until a future occasion. The discoverer of course flies from the place; and if he have picked up a few stones, or robbed the earth of some of its most brilliant rarities, he will seek the best and safest means of procuring value for them. If he be a man of sufficient property, he will hire a few mules, load them with cotton, bacon, and other commodities, and proceed to Rio de Janeiro in regular form. On his arrival there, he enters some good house in which he has confidence, and disposes of his concealed treasure. His mind is then relieved from apprehension, and he begins to make preparations for his return. His first care is to lay out his money to the best advantage; negroes are his chief object, and these pay a duty to the state on their leaving Angola, and another of ten _milreis_ each on entering the mining country. If they be employed in mining, Government obtains a fifth of the gold found, and if in agriculture, a tenth of the produce is exacted. The next object of the adventurer is to lay in a stock of woollens, and other English manufactures, which pay a duty of fifteen _per cent._ on being landed, and are subject to another, according to their weight, on entering the territory of the mines. Thus it really appears that most of the contraband property is divided between the state and the smuggler: but this is not all; the diamonds are sent out of the country, and real effects of value are received in return, leaving a balance entirely in favor of Brazil.