PERU. 229 



thought it possible that the silver mines at Pasco, about 150 

 miles from Lima, which were fast falling into decay for want of 

 machinery to drain the water, might be restored to their former 

 celebrity by the introduction of steam-engines. 



" Mr. Uville, who is now about thirty-six years of age, came 

 to England in 1811, where he continued a few months, and just 

 as he was about to leave London he observed by accident a 

 model of a steam-engine, made by Captain Trevithick, at the 

 shop of a Mr. Koland, Fitzroy Square, and Mr. Uville so much 

 liked the simplicity of its construction, that he immediately 

 purchased it at twenty guineas. Mr. Uville returned to Lima 

 with it, and tried it on the mountains of Pasco, in consequence 

 of which, on the 17th of July, 1812, Mr. Uville, with Don Pedro 

 Abadia and Don Jose Aresmendi, eminent merchants at Lima, 

 were so confident of success, that they formed a company to 

 drain the i nines at Pasco and its vicinity ; and on the 22nd of 

 August then following a contract was entered into by these 

 gentlemen and the proprietors of the mines in that district. 

 Soon after which Mr. Uville was deputed by the company to 

 return to England and to find out some able engineer to assist 

 him in procuring proper steam-engines to be conveyed to the 

 mines. 



" Uville having put into Jamaica, came to England in the 

 ' Fox ' packet, Capt. Tilly, and arrived at Falmouth early in 

 the summer of 1813. During the passage Mr. Uville frequently 

 talked of the object of his voyage, and that he was particularly 

 anxious to find out the maker of the model of the engine he 

 took to Lima, and recollecting that the name of ' Trevithick ' 

 was on the model, he mentioned it to a Mr. Teague, who hap- 

 pened to be on board the packet, when the latter informed 

 him that Capt. Trevithick was his first cousin, and that he 

 resided within a few miles from Falmouth. Immediately on 

 Mr. Uville's arrival an interview took place between him and 

 Capt. Trevithick, and soon after Mr. Uville removed to Capt. 

 Trevithick's house in Camborne, where he resided several 

 months, during which time Capt. Trevithick instructed him in 

 mining, machinery, &c. 



" Capt. Trevithick and Mr. Uville, after seeing most of the 



VOL. II. R 



