from the Desert of Atacama in Peru. 261 



with similar fragments. The Indian, who brought these, calls 

 them " Reventazones" supposing them to be produced by ex- 

 plosions from the mines. He had been charged to bring a 

 piece of the vein itself, and some of the rock in which it is 

 imbedded ; but this he says he could not effect for want of 

 tools. He therefore contented himself with picking up some 

 pieces that were at the foot of the hill, where the mouth of 

 the vein opens. If it be true, as, from the probity of the In- 

 dian, who is well known from previous information, and from 

 general report, we must believe it to be, that the metal is in a 

 vein, it ought to be considered as the first phenomenon of this 

 nature that has occurred. What Margraff' found in Saxony 

 was probably not of this kind." 



Extract of a Letter from Woodbine Parish, Esq. Buenos 

 Ayres, April 1827. 



" The account given by Dr Redhead has since been fully 

 confirmed by other accounts from different persons. This iron 

 is found in the province of Atacama in Peru, at a distance of 

 about twenty leagues from the port of Cobija, in large masses, 

 imbedded in a mountain, in the neighbourhood of the village 

 of San Pedro, and scattered over the plains at the foot of the 

 mountain in question, for a distance of three or four leagues, 

 in fragments similar to that sent herewith, but some of them 

 of considerable magnitude." 



From this statement it appears that the accounts are yet im- 

 perfect, and that we have only the authority of an Indian to 

 depend upon. It was by the same species of authority that 

 Pallas was led to his mass, obtained from Medvedef a Co- 

 saque, who was found to be accurately correct. The apology 

 of the Indian for not bringing a portion of the vein attached 

 to the rock, as he was desired to do, is a very plausible one ; 

 but the structure of this iron is so entirely dissimilar from the 

 product of any vein of iron that we are acquainted with, that 

 it is highly probable the scattered fragments will be found to 

 differ entirely from any ore which the veins of that country 

 may produce. It was the theory of the Indian, that these 

 fragments, which, according to Mr Parish's subsequent state- 

 ment, appear to be scattered over a district extending to three 



