Tejuco, owing to its situation by the side of a hill, is very irregularly built; its streets are uneven, but the houses in general are well constructed and in good condition, compared with those of other towns in the interior. Its name, which, in the Portuguese language, signifies a muddy place, is derived from places of that description in its neighbourhood, which are rendered passable by being covered with large pieces of wood.
Through the kind care and attention of Dr. Camara and his excellent family, my health was in part re-established, and I was enabled to ride out daily, occupying myself in seeing all I could, and gaining the best information, in which I was assisted by my worthy host and all his friends. Our evenings were passed in a most agreeable manner, among the parties which regularly assembled at the Intendant’s house, consisting of some of the principal inhabitants of the town. In these parties the gentlemen engage at whist, and the ladies take tea and play round games, or enter into conversation on the passing occurrences of the day. In no part of Brazil did I meet with society so select and agreeable; this may certainly be called the court of the mining district. In their manners there was no ceremonious reserve or courtly refinement, but their whole demeanour was genteel and well-bred, enlivened by an ease and good humor which the affability of the chief and his amiable lady and daughters ever tended to promote. The company all dressed after the English mode, and in dresses of English manufacture: the gentlemen were almost all men of title, distinguished with stars, yet the _constellation_ which they formed, was far inferior in brilliancy and elegance to that of the ladies.
I was invited to pay a visit to the treasury, which can only be viewed when a meeting of officers is called, as the treasure is kept in chests, under three distinct locks, the keys of which are entrusted to three several officers, who are all required to be present at the opening. They here showed me the diamonds taken from the _tropeiro_ at Conceição, which were in general much better than those from the mines worked by Government. One about eleven carats was a very fine stone, perfectly crystallized, in the form of an octahedron. The unfortunate man from whom they were taken, I was informed, was very ill in prison. I was then shown about eight hundred carats found in the regular course of washing; they were in general very small, not one exceeding five carats. I observed several round and many inferior ones colored. Those with a dark green hue and rough exterior, were, they informed me, when cut, of the purest water, and from Rio Pardo.