Sketch of the Mine of Pasco. 61 
sand accidents, both on account of the numberless disputes among 
the miners, and the errors made in the excavation of it. The com- 
panies of speeulators have greatly contributed to paralyze it. The 
work was begun in Quinlachoea, in the month of September, 1825, 
but the perforation had reached only about forty yards, in the month 
of January, 1827, and the expenses amounted to from thirty five to 
forty thousand dollars, and probably the latter sum is not beyond the 
truth. 
The general directors of the mine brid informed of the suspen- 
sion of the working of the excavation; they attempted to prosecute: 
it farther ; soliciting at the same time, aid of the government, and in- 
viting the return of the miners. In fact, they obtained from the gov- 
ernment two thousand dollars every month, and from the miners their 
consent. I removed to the chain and set to work in the excavation on 
the ist of June, 1827. We have now three fioutones, and shall soon 
have two more, unless they drain the waters of the thirteenth vent 
hole, perforated in the cascajo of Ayapoto, which is very near the 
plains of the excavation. The machine will then have no effect, be- 
eause the plains being lower than the vent hole in which the machine 
is, its waters must tend towards the general drain. ‘T'wo other ex- 
cavations are begun; that of Rumillana begins in the break of the 
samename. That of Avellafuerte having its origin in the lake of 
St. Judas, inclines towards the church of Yanacancha; it was beguy 
but not continued, because the capital failed. By this the rich mines 
im the pampa of St. Andres and Matajente might be drained. “The 
two excavations worked by the company, received an assignment of 
twelve thousand dollars and two reals from the bribune. At first, 
twenty four thousand dollars were given by the court ; afterwards — 
abated to twelve thousand. In the excavation of Quinlacocha alone, — 
until the year 1820, they expended two hundred and forty sever 
thousand dollars. The drain by means of the steam engine, is very 
defective, because it is not permanent. ‘The workmen have endeav- 
ored to remedy this evil, by placing a box upon the piston, but to no 
purpose. The cylinder is twenty five inches m diameter; the play’ 
of the piston is five feet, and it makes three strokes a minute. The 
caldron is seven yards, twenty three inches long, and two yards, six- 
teen inches in diameter. This machine is on the high pressure prin- 
= and constructed after the invention of the engineer Trevithick ; 
present, it raises the water from thirty six 2» shiny digte tact oboe 
she pig plains of the lumbrera to the exeavation of St. Judas. The wa- 
