88 



THE NATURALIST IX NICARAGUA. [Cb. VI. 



than their width. The rich ore, worth from one to four 

 ounces per ton, occurs in irregular patches and bands 

 very small in comparison with the bulk of the ore stuff, 

 which varies in value from two to seven pennyweights 

 per ton. The average value of all the ore treated by the 

 Chontales Mining Company, up to the end of 1871, has 

 been about seven pennyweights per ton, and during that 



MACHINERY OF CHONTALES GOLD MINING COMPANY. 



time small patches have been met with worth one hun- 

 dred ounces of gold per ton. The gold does not occur 

 pure, but is a natural alloy of gold and silver, containing 

 about three parts of the former to one of the latter. 

 Besides this metallic alloy (to which, for brevity, I shall, 

 in the remarks I have to make, give its common designa- 



