CHAP. XXV.

BRASTL.

261

pounds, or five hundred and eighty-three thousandsix hundred and eighty ounces, which, whenvalued at sixteen dollars to

the ounce, make . . 9,338,880 dollars,

to which adding the silver

as before estimated . 7,280,000 dollars,

showing the whole product

to be . . . 16,618,880 dollars,

or in sterling moneyor on the average of the

3,462,266 pounds,

twenty years

173,113 pounds.

The produce of gold in Brasil has for many Brasil ,years been declining. The process of that de-clension from 1752 to 1795 is to be seen in theAppendix , No. 8, when during that period it felloff more than one half in the province of MinasGeras, which was then and still is the chiefsource of gold. Since that period we have beenable to collect no statistical reports of the amountof the gold obtained, though, from the relationsof the most intelligent travellers who have visitedBrasil , there has been a continued decrease in theproduct.

W. C. von Eschwege, a scientific German , whopaid much attention to the gold washings, statesthe amount of gold yielded by Minas Geras asthree-fourths of thatin all the provinces, and affirmsthat, when he visited Brasil , the whole amount ofthe duty of one-fifth was three hundred and