OP ATACAMA AND COQDIMBO. 257 



chase to tin- nimhle-footed animal. In th<- pursuit fortune led him aln^ tli<- (southern slope of 

 Ml I'.oiae.., ami then-, thoroughly tired do wn, he re-t.-d oqoneof thelqoMftonai halfway; 



strep summit, rxprrtin^ no ^iral.T "v.nd luck than a return of the dogs to lead him to the 



captured animal, whose liniimls he could no longer keep pace with. Possessing, aH does nearly 



-idnit >!' mineral regions, some knowledge of metallurgy, it was not long before he 



drtrctrd that his scat contained ore of the puir.st silver, in great quantiti'-s ; and in the excite- 



ment of joy t'u 1 surprise, ^uanaco, (h.^s. and donkeys ton. would have been forgotten, hut that 



the last ail'nrded means tntrans|iort his t rea>ui > toCopiapo. The other story is, that Godoi 



t hi-rd. and ivrrivcd intelligence of the existence of silver at this spot from his expir- 



ing nmtlirr. 



Arrived with his specimens at the then straggling town, the discovery was imparted to Juan 

 Callejas, an old 1'riend and cateador (professional mine-hunter), who, during forty-odd years of 

 privations, whilst examining the veins and strata of the province, had collected only the wealth 

 of experience. When the formalities of denouncing (entering a caveat for) the mine had been 

 completed, a title to one third of it was given to the friend and counsellor in fee; and the latter 

 in like manner surrendered it to Don Miguel Gallo, a citizen of Copiapo, and one of the muni- 

 ficent patrons for whose many services Callejas owed a long debt of gratitude. The heiw of 

 Sefior Gallo are among the well known millionnaires of Chile ; and it is said they still retain 

 the original seat of Godoi found near the mouth of the mine, thence called La Descubridora. 



When the little fortune which Godoi had picked from the surface was gone, his remaining 

 two thirds interest was sold, and he withdrew from the cares of business to the enjoyment of the 

 pleasures which his extensive riches would command. In the briefest time people discovered that 

 Don Juan was a man of respectability, assuredly allied to many persons of distinction ; facts 

 which memory told him had never before been urged by the housekeepers who had bought cargas 

 from the poor wood-hunter, and to whom they now rendered homage. Flattered, however, bv 

 their recognition, he could do no less than repay frequent and seemingly earnest demonstra- 

 tions of regard, and prove his appreciation of the extreme anxiety displayed to gratify him. 

 Thus, balls followed dinners, licentiousness succeeded balls, breakfasts came after the night 

 orgies, and gambling filled the unappropriated hours of the day, until the lamp of extrava- 

 gance, for want of the precious oil, gave symptoms of expiring. Alas! poor Godoi, thine was 

 not the wonderful instrument of Alladin ! As soon as the crowd perceived this state of things 

 they took French leave, and Don Juan awoke one morning as poor as he was a few months 

 before, and bitterly lamenting how unreal are dreams. Unfortunate hunter ! ruined by a guanaco 

 chase! for not even a mule was left with which to resume the livelihood of wood-seeking, 

 and drown the memory of hours spent in gluttony and vice. He was not destined to starve 

 however. When his poverty was made known to Sefior Gallo, a share in the mine was gener- 

 ously given to him, from the sale of which $14,000 was realized, and a small cliacra purchased 

 near Coquimbo. There Godoi shortly afterwards died, leaving a bare subsistence for his family.* 



More moderate in the gratification of his desires, old Callejas has wholly escaped such vicissi- 

 tude. Satisfied by having enriched so generous a patron, a life of exemplary sobriety enables 

 him to enjoy the gifts with which in turn he has been recompensed. The residence of his pre- 

 dilection is at the Descubridora, which he loves as the apple of his eye. His favorite ram ].!>; 

 are in the pique del agua (water shaft), fronton de Castillo (the castle wall), el fenomeno (the 

 phenomenon), la paloma (the pigeon) ; in short, among all those labyrinths of itsda.rk caverns 

 the greater- part of whose productive labors have been directed by himself. To him "La Des- 

 cubridora" is a loved and beautiful daughter, spouse to an idolizing friend; each rich new 

 shaft that is opened is an additional charm, hailed as would be the grandchild brought to his 

 arms. Happy old man ! to whom wilt thou impart thy philosophy ? 



Numbers of "Cateadores" were attracted to the vicinity by the noise of this discovery, and 



*To perpetuate his name near the scene of a discovery which baa since given ao many millions to Chile, the little town which 

 sprang up at the foot of the hill was called "Juan Godoi." 



33 



