productions
in the hope that sooner or later they might have the good fortune to
make some important discovery, which would obtain a reversal of their
sentence and enable them to regain their station in society. They
wandered about in this neighborhood, making frequent searches, in its
various rivers, for more than six years, during which time they were
exposed to a double risk, being continually liable to become the prey
of the Anthropophagi, and in no less danger of being seized by
the soldiers of the Government. At length by hazard they made some
trials in the river Abaite at a time when its waters were so low, in
consequence of a long season of drought, that a part of its bed was
left exposed. Here while searching and washing for gold they had the
good fortune to find a diamond nearly an ounce in weight.*
"
Elated by this providential discovery which at first they could
scarcely believe to be real, yet hesitating between a dread of the
rigorous laws relating to diamonds and a hope of regaining their
liberty, they consulted a clergyman, who advised them to trust to the
mercy of the State, and accomÂpanied them to Villa Rica where he
procured them access to the Governor. They threw themselves at his feet
and delivered to him the invaluable gem, on which their hopes rested,
relating all the circumstances connected with it. The Governor
astonished at its magnitude could not trust the evidence of his senses,
but called the officers of the
*
" This is either a misprint or a gross mistake. For as there are one
hundred and fifty carats to the ounce it would be more correct to say '
nearly a pound in weight.' "
