Negroes and Indians 51 
hundred in number, are entirely dependent on the mines 
around, there being no -cultivation or any other employment 
in the immediate neighbourhood. The people are of a 
mixed descent, in which Indian blood predominates, then 
Spanish with a slight admixture of the Negro element, whilst 
amongst the rising generation many fair-haired children can 
claim paternity amongst the numerous German and English 
workmen that have been employed at the mines. The store- 
keepers form the aristocracy of the village. They are 
indolent; lounging about, or lying smoking in their hammocks 
the greater part of the day, but generally civil and polite. 
They are particular in their dress, and may often be seen in 
faultless European costume, silk umbrella in hand, in twos 
or threes, taking a short quiet walk up the valley. The 
lower class of miners are scantily and badly clothed, especially 
when they come first to the mines. They are bare-footed, 
with poor ragged cotton trousers and a thin jacket of the 
same material. Generally, after being a year or two at the 
mines, they begin to wear better clothing, and may often be 
seen with a new shirt, which to show off is worn hanging 
down outside, like a surtout coat. Amongst these are many 
pure Indians, short sturdy men, who make the steadiest 
workmen, patient and industrious, but with little apprecia- 
tion of the value of money, and spending the whole of their 
wages at the end of the month, before they resume work. 
At these times the commandant comes in from the town of 
Libertad, about nine miles distant, with half-a-dozen bare- 
footed soldiers carrying old muskets on their shoulders, and 
levies blackmail upon the poor patient “‘ Mosas,” as they are 
called, in the shape of a fine for drunkenness. But the 
“aguardiente,” a native-made rum, is nevertheless always 
kept on hand, being a government monopoly, and ever ready, 
so that the Mosas may have no excuse to be sober and escape 
being fined. 
Even jin their drink the poor Indians are not very violent, 
and get intoxicated with surprising stolidity and quietness. 
Amongst the half-breeds, especially where the Negro element 
exists, there are often quarrellings and rows, when they slash 
away at each other with their long knives or “ machetes,” 
and get ugly cuts, which, however, heal again quickly. 
Both the Negroes and Indians are decidedly inferior to the 
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