The government here, as to its form, is mixed; it is notwithstanding very despotic in fact. It consists of the Viceroy, the Governor of the town, and a council, the number of which I could not learn: without the consent of this council, in which the Viceroy has a casting vote, no judicial act should be performed; yet both the Viceroy and Governor frequently commit persons to prison at their own pleasure, and sometimes send them to Lisbon, without acquainting their friends or family with what is laid to their charge, or where they may be found.

To restrain the people from travelling into the country, and getting into any district where gold or diamonds may be found, of both which there is much more than the government can otherwise secure, certain bounds are prescribed them, at the discretion of the Viceroy, sometimes at a few, and sometimes at many miles distance from the city. On the verge of these limits a guard constantly patroles, and whoever is found beyond it, is immediately seized and thrown into prison: and if a man is, upon any pretence, taken up by the guard within the limits, he will be sent to prison, tho’ it should appear that he did not know their extent.

The inhabitants, which are very numerous, consist of Portuguese, Negroes, and Indians, the original natives of the country. The township of Rio, which, as I was told, is but a small part of the Capitanea, or province, is said to contain 37,000 White persons, and 629,000 Blacks, many of whom are free; making together 666,000, in the proportion of seventeen to one. The Indians, who are employed to do the King’s work in this neighbourhood, can scarcely be considered as inhabitants; their residence is at a distance, from whence they come by turns to their task, which they are obliged to perform for a small pay. The guard-boat was constantly rowed by these people, who are of a light copper colour, and have long black hair.

Voyaging Accounts