262 COSTA RICA. 



succeeded by an interval of fine weather; for the most part 

 every day presents a few dry hours. The mines are situated on 

 the ridges of the Cordillera, which without presenting snow- 

 covered peaks, attain, nevertheless, considerable elevation. 

 The clouds, constantly attracted by those high summits, render 

 the rainy season more severe in the mining district than in the 

 plains. The greatest inconvenience was from the snakes, which 

 in those solitary jungles, now first invaded by man, are very 

 numerous and many of them venomous. Provisions are cheap 

 and excellent. In short, there is but one fault I find with the 

 country, and it is a great one, I mean the frequency of earth- 

 quakes. j. M. GERARD." 



MEM. IN MR. GERARD'S WRITING. 



" Illustrations of the Map. 



" Though the plans and sections explain themselves, a few 

 observations will not be misplaced. The deep adit for the Cora- 

 lillo would be 600 yards, that for Quebrada-honda 400 yards, 

 and besides serving as drains would form admirable roads for 

 conveying the ores- into the vale where the stamps must be 

 erected. 



"The veins would be worked upward from the adits, and 

 thus no expense would be incurred for ages to come in lifting 

 either water, ore, or rubbish to the surface. Padre Arias Mine 

 is an exception, requiring a powerful water-wheel, or an 

 hydraulic pressure-engine, for which there is a fine fall of 

 water of 135 feet. The mines in Quebrada-honda are those 

 in which an interest has been procured. Captain Trevithick 

 has an interest in the mine of Coralillo ; the great watercourse 

 is also his. 



" It will be seen by the plan that there are 75 fathoms fall 

 to the point where his present mill is situated, and other 

 75 fathoms to the junction of the rivers of Quebrada-honda and 

 Machuca. The whole length does not amount to two miles, 

 within which it is estimated that sufficient power may be com- 

 manded to stamp 500,000 of quintals annually. To bring it up 

 to that pitch, the waters of Machuca must be brought to join 



