After two weeks of observation, seven slaves were selected. João Crisóstomo, 28 years old, mixed-race (mestiço), worked as a foreman in the coffee fields, was literate and demonstrated natural leadership among the other slaves. Miguel dos Santos, 25 years old, light-skinned mulatto, responsible for maintaining the coffee processing machines.

He had exceptional mechanical skills for the time. Antônio da Silva, 30 years old, brown (pardo), took care of the farm’s horses. He was known for his physical strength and knowledge of animal breeding. Pedro Gonçalves, 26 years old, mixed-race, worked in the Big House as an assistant to the butler. He knew how to read and write, keeping the property’s records.

Francisco de Assis, 24 years old, mulatto, responsible for cultivating the vegetable gardens that supplied the Big House, had knowledge of medicinal plants. José Maria, 29 years old, brown, an experienced miner, knew all the tunnels of the property’s mines. He was respected by the other slaves for his wisdom.

Luís Carlos, 27 years old, mixed-race, a skilled carpenter, responsible for the construction and maintenance of the farm structures. The selection was not communicated to the chosen ones immediately. The Colonel first needed to establish the rules of the agreement and prepare Dona Esperança for what was to come.

During the month of March, he built a small house at the back of the property, away from curious eyes. The location would be used for the encounters, ensuring privacy and total control over the situation. Pause for a moment and reflect. We are talking about human beings being treated as reproductive instruments. The slave-owning mentality transformed people into objects, denying them any humanity or right to choice. If you are feeling disturbed by this story, leave your like.

It is exactly this reflection that we need to make about our past. On March 15, 1864, Colonel Augusto summoned the seven selected slaves for a meeting on the porch of the Big House. It was a cold morning typical of the Minas autumn, with mist covering the mountains surrounding the farm. The men stood in a semicircle, waiting for their master’s words.

“You have been chosen for a special task,” the Colonel began, walking slowly in front of the seven. “A task that can bring benefits to all of us but which requires absolute discretion and obedience.” The silence was total. The slaves kept their eyes down, a typical posture when in the presence of the Master. None of them imagined what was to come.

“My wife and I have faced difficulties in having children,” the Colonel continued. “You are going to help resolve this situation. Each of you will have the opportunity to contribute so that Dona Esperança becomes pregnant.”

The revelation caused a visible shock to the men. João Crisóstomo, the most experienced of the group, dared to discreetly raise his eyes, trying to understand if he had heard correctly. Miguel dos Santos clenched his fists, controlling his surprise.

The others remained motionless, processing the impossible information. The Colonel proceeded to explain the rules of the agreement. Each slave would have a specific day of the week designated for encounters with Dona Esperança. The meetings would always occur in the house built specifically for that purpose, always under his indirect supervision.

Any attempt at contact outside the established schedule would be punished by death. The slaves who participated in the agreement would receive benefits: better food, new clothes, exemption from heavier work and the promise of eventual manumission. But it was also made clear that refusal was not an option.

In the slave-owning logic, they were property and should obey without question. “If any of you manages to father a child with my wife,” the Colonel declared, “that man will receive his freedom and an amount of money sufficient to start a new life. The others will continue receiving the promised benefits.”

The promise of freedom was both a motivation and a form of control. The Colonel knew it would create competition among the slaves, decreasing the chances of rebellion or conspiracy. João Crisóstomo was assigned to Mondays, Miguel to Tuesdays, Antônio to Wednesdays, Pedro to Thursdays, Francisco to Fridays, José Maria to Saturdays, and Luís Carlos to Sundays.

The schedule would be strictly followed during Dona Esperança’s fertile period each month. Dona Esperança, who observed the scene from a window of the Big House, felt a mixture of humiliation and terror. She had spent weeks trying to convince her husband to give up the idea, but her pleas were ignored. In the patriarchal society of the time, she had no choice but to submit to her husband’s will.

The family doctor was informed about the special treatment Dona Esperança would receive to increase her chances of getting pregnant. Dr Henrique Almeida, although surprised, did not question the Colonel’s decisions. Medicine at the time frequently recommended unorthodox methods for fertility problems.

The first week of the agreement was scheduled to begin in April, coinciding with Dona Esperança’s fertile period. The slaves were instructed on how to proceed, what clothes to wear and how to behave during the encounters. Everything was planned to maintain the apparent dignity of the lady, even in such a degrading situation.

Monday, April 4, 1864, dawned rainy. The typical autumn drizzle of Minas covered the São Sebastião farm with a mantle of melancholy that seemed to reflect the tense atmosphere dominating the property. Dona Esperança woke up knowing this would be the most difficult day of her life. João Crisóstomo had received detailed instructions the day before.

He was to bathe, wear clean clothes and head to the back house at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Colonel Augusto would stay outside, ensuring that no other slave approached and that the encounter proceeded as planned. The small wooden structure had been furnished simply but with dignity: a bed with clean sheets, a basin with scented water, and a single window that offered a view of the coffee fields.

The environment was prepared to maintain some appearance of civility in a completely dehumanising situation. Dona Esperança arrived punctually, wearing a simple white cotton robe. Her eyes were red from crying and her hands were visibly shaking. João Crisóstomo was waiting for her, standing, equally nervous and embarrassed.

Both knew they had no choice in the situation. The encounter lasted less than 20 minutes. There were no conversations or attempts to create intimacy. Both wanted it to end as quickly as possible. João Crisóstomo, despite his position as foreman and his relative education, understood perfectly that he was being used as a reproductive instrument.

Dona Esperança endured the situation with the resignation of someone who had lost all control over her own life. The Colonel waited outside, smoking cigars nervously and checking his pocket watch repeatedly. When Dona Esperança left the house, he accompanied her back to the Big House without uttering a word.

João Crisóstomo waited a few minutes before returning to his activities in the coffee fields. The routine repeated itself in the following days. Miguel dos Santos, on Tuesday, showed even more nervousness than João. His inexperience with elite women made the situation even more embarrassing. Antônio da Silva, on Wednesday, was more direct and efficient than the first three, treating the encounter as just another task to be completed.

Dona Esperança developed mental strategies to endure the encounters. She would close her eyes and try to transport herself to her childhood memories in the convent. She mentally recited prayers in Latin or planned flower arrangements for the following week. Anything that would help her disconnect from reality.

The other slaves on the farm began to realise that something unusual was happening. The seven chosen ones received differentiated treatment, better food, new clothes and exemption from some heavier tasks, but the farm’s rigid discipline and fear of the Colonel prevented any direct questioning.

Pedro Gonçalves, on Thursday, was the first to try to establish some kind of communication with Dona Esperança. He respectfully asked if she was well and if she needed anything. The unexpected kindness made her cry throughout the encounter, which left Pedro deeply disturbed.

Francisco de Assis, on Friday, took with him a small bouquet of wild flowers he had picked in the garden. The gesture, though simple, represented an attempt to humanise a completely dehumanised situation. Dona Esperança kept the flowers, which were the only ones she received during that entire dark period.

It is important to remember that we are dealing with a historical period where slavery completely dehumanised Black people, treating them as property. At the same time, women, even white and from the elite, had very little autonomy over their own lives and bodies.

May 1864 brought the first complications of the agreement established by Colonel Augusto.

José Maria, assigned to Saturdays, began to show signs of deep psychological suffering. As a religious man who had learned to read through the Bible, he understood the moral dimension of what he was being forced to do. During the third Saturday of encounters, José Maria refused to enter the back house. He remained outside, kneeling, praying in a low voice.

Colonel Augusto, furious with the disobedience, threatened him with lashes. But José Maria maintained his position, explaining that he would rather die than continue sinning against God and against the lady. The situation created the first major conflict of the agreement.

The Colonel could not simply punish José Maria physically without running the risk of compromising the entire plan.

Injured or marked slaves would draw attention, and discretion was fundamental to the success of the undertaking. Dona Esperança, who had developed a special respect for José Maria due to his education and religiosity, interceded for the slave. She suggested to her husband that they find a way to replace him without causing an outcry.

It was the first time since the beginning of the agreement that she had taken any initiative. The solution found was to transfer José Maria to work on a smaller family farm located three days’ journey away. Officially, he was being promoted to supervise production on a smaller property. In reality, he was being removed to avoid problems.

Luís Carlos, who was supposed to be the last of the week on Sundays, also took over Saturdays. The change created a different dynamic. Two weekly encounters with the same person generated an unprecedented familiarity between him and Dona Esperança. Luís Carlos was the youngest of the group and the one who demonstrated the greatest artistic sensitivity.

His skills as a carpenter revealed a keen eye for detail and proportions. During the encounters, he began to notice small problems in the house. A window that wouldn’t close right, a loose board in the floor, hinges that made noise. This attention to detail and care for the environment began to generate a less hostile atmosphere.

Dona Esperança began to wait for the weekends with less anxiety, knowing that Luís Carlos would make the environment more comfortable and less oppressive. During June, another problem arose. Antônio da Silva, responsible for the horses, began to show possessiveness toward Dona Esperança. On two occasions, he was seen observing her discreetly as she walked through the gardens of the Big House.

The behaviour was extremely dangerous. Any suspicion of personal interest could result in severe punishment or death. João Crisóstomo, as foreman, was tasked with talking to Antônio. The conversation was direct. Any deviation from the established rules would put all participants of the agreement in mortal danger.

Antônio understood the message and moderated his behaviour, but the incident revealed how the situation was psychologically affecting everyone involved. Miguel dos Santos developed a completely different strategy. He decided to treat the encounters as technical exercises, focusing exclusively on the reproductive objective.

His mechanical and distant approach was less emotionally disturbing but also colder and more dehumanized. Pedro Gonçalves continued to be the most talkative of the group. During the Thursday encounters, he told stories about his childhood, talked about books he had read, and asked respectful questions about Dona Esperança’s life before marriage.

These conversations helped make the encounters less traumatic for her. Francisco de Assis kept the habit of bringing small gifts: flowers, special fruits from the garden or medicinal teas he prepared. His natural kindness created moments of humanity in the midst of the degrading situation.

In July, Dona Esperança began to show the first symptoms of pregnancy.

The month of July 1864 brought the news that Colonel Augusto had been waiting for. Dona Esperança began to experience morning sickness, breast sensitivity and a delayed menstrual cycle – symptoms she knew well from previous pregnancies, but this time there was a crucial difference. She did not know who the father of the child she carried was. Dr Henrique Almeida was called to confirm the pregnancy.

The doctor, who had followed the couple’s frustrated attempts over the years, was surprised by the sudden success. He credited the conception to the new treatments the Colonel had mentioned, without suspecting the true nature of the methods used.

“Congratulations, Colonel,” the doctor said after the exam. “Dona Esperança is definitely pregnant.”

From the symptoms and initial development, I estimate the gestation is about six weeks along. If all goes well, you will have an heir in early March of next year.”

 The confirmation of the pregnancy brought complex reactions for all involved. Colonel Augusto felt a mixture of relief and anxiety.

His plan had worked, but now he faced uncertainty about the child’s real paternity. Any of the six remaining slaves could be the biological father of the future heir of the Ferreira da Costa family. Dona Esperança experienced contradictory feelings.

The joy of finally being pregnant was overshadowed by the unconventional origin of the conception. She knew she carried the child of a slave, but she did not know which one. The situation created a strange and disturbing connection with the six men who continued to participate in the agreement. The slaves involved in the agreement re-acted in different ways to the news. João Crisóstomo, the most experienced, immediately understood the implications.

One of them had conceived the heir to one of the most important families in the region but could never claim paternity or a relationship with the child. Miguel dos Santos became visibly nervous. The possibility of being the biological father of the baby disturbed him deeply. As a young, single man, the idea of having a child he could never recognize or know properly caused him genuine anguish. Games.

Pedro Gonçalves, due to the conversations he maintained with Dona Esperança, developed a sense of protection toward her and the baby. During the Thursday encounters, he began to ask about her well-being, about the morning sickness and about the care she was taking.

Colonel Augusto made a crucial decision. The encounters would continue throughout the pregnancy. His justification was medical.

He believed that the continuity of intimate relations would help strengthen the pregnancy. In reality, he wanted to maintain control over the situation and prevent anyone from developing certainty about the paternity. Francisco de Assis began to prepare specific teas for the nausea and discomforts of pregnancy.

His knowledge of medicinal plants became even more valuable, and he began to advise Dona Esperança on nutrition and natural care. Luís Carlos, who maintained two weekly encounters, observed the physical changes of the pregnancy with genuine interest. His artistic sensitivity made him notice details that others did not.

The way Dona Esperança placed her hands on her belly, the different glow in her eyes, the small changes in her posture. Antônio da Silva, after the incident of possessiveness, remained emotionally distant but he could not hide his curiosity about the child being generated.

Several times he was seen watching from a distance as Dona Esperança walked through the gardens. The pregnancy proceeded normally, but everyone knew that the birth of the child would bring even more complex issues.

On March 15, 1865, after a peaceful but emotionally turbulent pregnancy, Dona Esperança gave birth to a girl. The birth took place in the Big House, assisted by Dr Henrique Almeida and two slaves experienced in childbirth.

Colonel Augusto waited in the next room, smoking cigars nervously. The child was born healthy, well-formed and without complications, but her physical characteristics immediately revealed the mixed origin of her ancestry. Her skin was slightly darker than that of the official parents.

Her hair had a kinky texture, and her facial features showed clear African influence. Dr Henrique Almeida noticed the baby’s peculiar characteristics but made no comments. At the time, it was common to attribute physical variations in babies to distant ancestral influences or temporary birthmarks.

The doctor recorded the birth of Maria da Conceição Ferreira da Costa, legitimate daughter of Colonel Augusto and Dona Esperança. The Colonel faced the first major dilemma of his plan. The child’s appearance would make it impossible to hide her origin indefinitely. In a society where the racial purity of important families was fundamental to social status, having a visibly mixed-race daughter could destroy the family reputation.

Dona Esperança, exhausted by the labour but finally a mother, developed an immediate and intense love for her daughter. For her, the physical characteristics of the child were less important than the achievement of having generated a life. After years of frustrated pregnancies, holding her daughter alive and healthy surpassed any concern about appearance.

The six slaves who participated in the agreement reacted in different ways to the birth. Each wondered secretly if he was the biological father of the girl. The child’s physical characteristics did not allow for definitive identification. Any of the men could have contributed to her conception.

João Crisóstomo, discreetly observing the child during his activities in the Big House, noticed similarities to his own daughter, born to a slave years earlier. The curve of the jaw and the shape of the eyes were similar, but he kept his observations to himself, knowing that any comment would be dangerous. Miguel dos Santos became visibly disturbed when he saw the girl for the first time.

His hands shook when he passed near the cradle during a task in the Big House. The possibility of being a father and not being able to exercise that role affected him deeply. Pedro Gonçalves, due to his emotional proximity to Dona Esperança, developed a special affection for the child.

During the encounters that continued after the birth, he asked about the baby’s development and offered suggestions based on his experience with children from the slave quarters. Luís Carlos showed practical interest in the child’s well-being. He built a special cradle with carved details and a refined finish. The artistic work of the cradle drew everyone’s attention in the Big House but he explained it was a gift to celebrate the birth of the farm’s heiress.

Francisco de Assis prepared special teas to help Dona Esperança in her postpartum recovery and in establishing breastfeeding. His knowledge of medicinal plants became even more valuable during this period. Antônio da Silva remained distant but he was seen several times standing near the stables, looking toward the Big House when he heard the baby cry.

His expression revealed a mixture of curiosity, melancholy and resignation. Colonel Augusto took measures to control possible comments about his daughter’s appearance. He spread the version that Dona Esperança had been influenced during the pregnancy by the constant presence of slaves, resulting in birthmarks that would disappear over time.

The birth of Maria da Conceição represented the technical success of the Colonel’s plan, but it also revealed its fundamental flaws. Having an heir had cost his wife’s dignity, the humanity of six slaves, and created a situation that was unsustainable in the long term. The months following Maria da Conceição’s birth brought unforeseen consequences that began to undermine the foundations of Colonel Augusto’s empire.

The child grew healthy and intelligent, but her physical characteristics became more evident over time, making it impossible to hide her mixed origin. In August 1865, during a courtesy visit, the wife of the district judge made discreet comments about the girl’s “interesting” appearance.

The comment, although subtle, indicated that the local elite was beginning to suspect the true origin of the Ferreira da Costa heiress. The Colonel realised his reputation was starting to be questioned. In meetings at the City Council and at social events, he noticed curious looks and conversations that ceased when he approached. 19th-century Minas society was small and closed.

Secrets rarely remained hidden for long. Dona Esperança, for her part, developed a complex relationship with motherhood. She loved her daughter deeply but carried the emotional weight of knowing that Maria da Conceição was the fruit of a degrading agreement.

Every day, looking at the child, she remembered the months of humiliation she had endured. The slaves involved in the agreement began to show signs of psychological wear. Pedro Gonçalves, who maintained conversations with Dona Esperança, noticed her emotional suffering and developed feelings of guilt. Miguel dos Santos had become more withdrawn and melancholy.

Francisco de Assis continued offering care, but with an evident sadness in his gestures. The situation became even more complicated when Dona Esperança became pregnant for the second time in September 1865. The news, which should have been a reason for joy, brought panic to all involved. A second child with mixed characteristics would make it impossible to maintain any disguise regarding the nature of the agreement.

Colonel Augusto faced a terrible dilemma. Continuing the agreement would increase his chances of having more heirs but would also multiply the risks of exposure. Interrupting the agreement could raise suspicions about why the special medical treatments had suddenly ceased. João Crisóstomo, observing the deterioration of the situation, made a courageous decision.

During a private conversation with the Colonel, he suggested that the agreement be ended. He argued that the continuity of the encounters was causing unnecessary suffering to everyone involved and that the social risks had become unacceptable. The slave’s suggestion was received with fury by the Colonel – how could a foreman question his decisions? The anger revealed how much the situation had shaken the farmer’s emotional control.

For the first time since the beginning of the agreement, he showed signs of mental instability. Luís Carlos, who had developed the closest relationship with Dona Esperança due to the two weekly encounters, began to notice signs of deep depression in her.

During his visits, she cried constantly and talked about the life she had lost. The second pregnancy seemed to represent more of a burden than a joy. In October 1865, the first serious incident occurred. Antônio da Silva was found drunk near the stables, murmuring about children he cannot know and sins he cannot confess. The episode of drunkenness almost exposed the entire secret.

Other slaves heard fragments of his words and began to speculate about their meaning. The Colonel was forced to make a drastic decision. Antônio da Silva was sold to a coffee farmer in São Paulo, officially for disciplinary problems.

In reality, he was being removed to prevent him from revealing details of the agreement in a moment of weakness. Antônio’s removal created more instability in the group. The remaining slaves understood they could be discarded at any moment if they represented a threat to the secret. Fear began to dominate the encounters, creating an even more tense and oppressive atmosphere.

Dona Esperança’s second pregnancy proceeded, but everyone knew that the birth of another mixed-race child would make it impossible to maintain appearances. The agreement that was supposed to have solved the Colonel’s problems was transforming into the cause of his social and family ruin.

The complete destruction of the Ferreira da Costa dynasty began in March 1866, with the birth of Dona Esperança’s second child. Joaquim Augusto Ferreira da Costa was born even more visibly mixed-race than his sister, with physical characteristics that made any attempt at disguise impossible. Dr. Henrique Almeida, upon examining the new-born, could not hide his surprise.

Two children with such distinctly African characteristics, born to white elite parents, surpassed any medical explanation of the time. The doctor maintained professional silence but began to decline social invitations to the Ferreira da Costa home. The reaction of local society was immediate and devastating. Within weeks, the entire elite of Ouro Preto was commenting on the peculiar situation of the Colonel’s family.

Speculations ranged from adultery to practices considered demonic by the religious mentality of the time. In April 1866, the local parish priest, Father Antônio Nogueira, requested a private meeting with Colonel Augusto. During the meeting in the church sacristy, the clergyman expressed concerns about the disturbing rumours circulating in the community.

Without making direct accusations, he made it clear that the situation was causing a public scandal. The Colonel, cornered and desperate, committed the fatal error of trying to bribe the priest with a substantial donation to the church. The attempt to buy silence was interpreted as a confession of guilt.

Father Antônio refused the donation and began preaching sermons about hidden sins and the importance of the moral purity of Christian families. Dona Esperança, devastated by the birth of her second child and the family’s social collapse, developed severe depression. She refused to leave her quarters, received no visitors and spent whole days crying.

Motherhood, which should have been her fulfilment, had transformed into a source of shame and suffering. The remaining slaves of the agreement lived in constant terror. João Crisóstomo was transferred to work in the deepest mines, where contact with other workers was minimal. Miguel dos Santos was assigned to equipment maintenance in isolated areas of the farm.

Pedro Gonçalves lost his post at the Big House and was demoted to field work. Francisco de Assis and Luís Carlos, realising the irreversible deterioration of the situation, made a desperate decision. In May 1866, during a moonless night, they fled the farm taking only the clothes on their backs. The simultaneous escape of two slaves drew the attention of the authorities and intensified suspicion of irregular activities on the property. Colonel Augusto, facing unbearable social pressure and an official investigation into the escape of the slaves, began to drink excessively.

His businesses were neglected, debts accumulated, and the farm’s production declined drastically. In a matter of months, one of the region’s most prosperous properties transformed into a symbol of moral decay. In June 1866, the Ouro Preto City Council passed a resolution removing Colonel Augusto from all public offices he held. Officially, the removal was justified by administrative negligence.

In practice, it was a form of social ostracism. The family’s financial situation deteriorated rapidly. Creditors began to call in loans. Suppliers suspended deliveries, and the farm’s production became insufficient to cover operational costs. The empire built over three generations crumbled in less than two years.

In August 1866, Dona Esperança made the final decision. During a silent morning, she poisoned herself with tea prepared with toxic plants from the farm’s own vegetable garden. She left a letter confessing the terrible sins she had been forced to commit and asking forgiveness from God and her children.

Dona Esperança’s suicide publicly confirmed all the suspicions circulating about the family. Colonel Augusto, discovering his wife’s body and reading her confession, suffered a complete mental breakdown. He was found three days later, wandering through the coffee fields, murmuring incoherently about agreements with the devil and cursed children.

The São Sebastião Farm was auctioned in September 1866 to pay off debts. Colonel Augusto was admitted to an asylum in Barbacena, where he died two years later. The children, Maria da Conceição and Joaquim Augusto, were raised by distant relatives who refused to keep them after they turned 16.

The story of Colonel Augusto Ferreira da Costa and his diabolical agreement represents one of the darkest chapters of the Brazilian slave-owning mentality.

The attempt to use human beings as reproductive instruments revealed the complete dehumanisation that slavery promoted, affecting not only the enslaved but also the enslavers. The case demonstrates how the obsession with family continuity and social status could lead to decisions that destroyed not just individuals, but entire dynasties.

The patriarchal and slave-owning society of the 19th century created situations where human dignity was completely subordinated to the economic and social interests of the elites. Dona Esperança, a victim of the circumstances of her time, paid the highest price for a decision that was not her own.

Her tragedy illustrates the female condition in Brazilian imperial society, where women were the property of their husbands as much as slaves were the property of their masters. The slaves involved in the agreement – João Crisóstomo, Miguel dos Santos, Pedro Gonçalves, Francisco de Assis, Luís Carlos and Antônio da Silva – were treated as reproductive instruments, denied any humanity or right to choice.

Their individual stories were lost in historical documentation, reflecting how the slave system systematically erased the humanity of enslaved people. The children born of the agreement, Maria da Conceição and Joaquim Augusto, grew up marked by the origin of their conception, facing prejudice and social rejection that would accompany them all their lives.

Their later stories illustrate how social traumas are perpetuated through generations. This disturbing story forces us to confront dark aspects of our past that are often omitted from history books. The channel Shadows of Slavery exists to bring to light these necessary narratives, even when they are difficult to hear.

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• A Tell Media report / Source: The Global Times