62 



infinite number of mines of all sorts of metals and minerals ; and, among the rest, are two 

 mountains that are only 12 leagues from the Pampas de Paraguay, and 100 leagues from La 

 Concepcion. In one of them they have discovered mines of pure copper so singular, that there 

 have heen found in them grains or lumps of above a hundred quintals weight (note that a quintal 

 is a hundred weight). The Indians call one of those mountains Pay en that is, copper ; and 

 Don John Melendez, who made the discovery, called it 8. Joseph. He drew thence one piece 

 of 40 quintals weight, of which he was, during my stay at La Concepcion, making six field-pieces, 

 all six-pounders. 



"There are stones which are partly copper quite formed, and partly imperfect copper ; for 

 which reason they say in that place that the earth there breeds that is, that copper is there 

 daily formed. In that mountain there is also lapis lazuli. 



"The other mountain adjoining, by the Spaniards called Cerro de Santa Ines, or St. Agnes' 

 Hill, is remarkable for its great plenty of load-stone, which composes almost the whole body 

 of it. 



"In the next neighboring mountains, inhabited by the Puel-ches, there are mines of sulphur 

 and salt. At Talcahuano, at Irequin, and in the very city, there are excellent coal-pits without 

 digging above a foot or two. The inhabitants do not know how to make their advantage of it. 

 They were much surprised to see us dig up earth to make fire when we laid in provision for our 

 forge/' 



Timber in great abundance and of many excellent kinds may be had from the shores of 

 the ocean to a height on the Andes of about 3,000 feet. The only tracts which are not covered 

 are the eastern slope of the central range and the intermediate plain. Much of it is trimmed 

 and floated in rafts to market on the waters of the Biobio. Yet, with all these forests at their 

 doors, the want f proper saw-mills keeps up a demand for boards, and several thousand dol- 

 lars' worth are annually introduced from the United States. Their herds of cattle are not so 

 numerous as further north. The tribes east and south of them seem to have set value only on 

 their women and cattle ; both of which were constantly stolen, whilst the proprietors remained 

 contemptuously disregarded, so long as no personal resistance was attempted. During 1850, 

 the principal staples of the province exported and their values were as follows : 



COASTWISE. 



Flour $994,552 



Bar copper 97,214 



Wine 62,677 



Timber , . 50,097 



Chaflos 34,752 



Sole-leather . 

 Coal . . . . 

 Aguardiente . 

 Barley . . , 

 Other products 



26,515 

 9,710 

 7,601 

 3,773 



57,123 



Total coastwise . 



$1,344,014 



TO FOREIGN PORTS. 



Flour $910,093 



Wheat 96,356 



Bar copper 100,431 



Wool 69,018 



Total foreign . . . $ 1,242, 523 



In the same period its imports were : Directly from foreign countries, to the value of $130,998 ; 

 of foreign naturalized goods (from Valparaiso,) $648,999; and of domestic produce, $77,606 of 

 which last $28,395 was for regulus, and $32,093 for copper ores. These make a total expend- 

 iture of $857,603, against an export of $2,586,537; leaving a balance of nearly one and three- 

 quarter millions of dollars in its favor. There is no doubt, however, that a large part of the 

 great staples were received from extra-provincial territory, and had to be paid for from the 

 great apparent surplus. 



