country. These are all for a revolution; and, constituting the
body of the nation, the other parts will follow them. The King's fifth
of the mines yields annually thirteen millions of crusadoes or half
dollars. He has the sole right of searching for diamonds and other
precious stones, which yield him about half as much. His income from
those two resources alone, then, is about ten millions of dollars
annually; but the remaining part of the produce of the mines, being
twenty-six millions, might be counted on for effecting a revolution.
Besides the arms in the hands of the people, there are public
magazines. They have abundance of horses, but only a part of their
country would admit the service of horses. They would want cannon,
ammunition, ships, sailors, soldiers and officers, for which they are
disposed to look to the United States, it being always understood that
every service and furniture will be well paid. Corn costs about twenty
livres the one hundred pounds. They have flesh in the greatest
abundance, insomuch, that in some parts they kill beeves for the skin
only. The whale fishery is carried on by Brazilians altogether, and not
by Portuguese; but in very small vessels, so that the fishermen know
nothing of managing a large ship. They would want of us, at all times,
shipping, corn and salt fish. The latter is a great article, and they
are at present supplied with it from Portugal. Portugal, being without
either army or navy, could not attempt an invasion under a twelvemonth.
Considering of what it would be composed, it would not be much to be
feared, and, if it failed, they would probably never attempt a second.
Indeed, this source of their wealth being intercepted, they are
scarcely capable of a first effort. The thinking part of the nation are
so sensible of this, that they consider an early separation inevitable.
There is an implacable hatred between the Brazilians and Portuguese; to
reconcile which, a former minister adopted the policy of letting the
Brazilians into a participation of public offices, but subsequent
administrations have reverted to the ancient policy of keeping the
administration in the hands of native Portuguese. There is a mixture of
natives of the old appointments still remaining in office. If Spain
should invade them on their southern extremities, these are so distant
from the body of their settlements, that they could not penetrate
thence; and Spanish enterprise is not formidable. The mines