Catas Altas de Matto Dentro, (profound searchings within the matto, or woods,) formerly a large and flourishing arraial, with a church of the Lady of Conceiçao, has fallen into decay with the decrease of gold. The deep mines, wrought for the extraction of gold, were the origin of its name. It is about eight miles from the preceding, and the inhabitants are agriculturists, including breeders of cattle and miners. Nine miles from Catas Altas is the large, flourishing, and commercial arraial of St. Barbara, near the stream of the same name, having various religious structures, and promising considerable augmentation. The occupations of its inhabitants are similar to that of the last place. Ten miles from St. Barbara is the arraial of Cocaes, with rich mines of gold, in the district of the parish of St. Joao do Morro Grande. _Comarca of_ RIO DAS MORTES. The comarca of Rio das Mortes, so called from the river which washes it, and equally known by the name of its head town, St. Joao d’el Rey, is bounded on the east by the comarca of Villa Rica; on the north by that of Sabara, from which it is separated by the serra Negra, and by the rivers Lambary and Andayha; on the west by the provinces of Goyaz and St. Paulo; and on the south by the latter and that of Rio de Janeiro. It is computed to comprise one hundred and seventy square miles. This comarca has many portions of land appropriated to the culture of mandioca, Indian corn, and legumes; likewise to plantations of sugar and tobacco, which are the most lucrative articles of exportation; in some places the cotton tree prospers, and in some of the southern districts considerable quantities of rye and wheat are raised. Cows are generally abundant, also sheep and hogs. Pork and cheese are important branches of export. There are auriferous grounds, which occupy a great many people in the working of them.