CHAP. XXV. CHILI. 259 



having plundered the miners and other inhabitants, 

 were compelled to abandon the place, but carried 

 with them the greater part of the metallic wealth. 

 Since that time it has known no tranquil times. 

 It may therefore be naturally concluded, that 

 very little industry could have been applied to 

 mining during the whole twenty years from 1810 

 to 1830. 



It will not be calculating too low if we estimate 

 the whole period to have yielded in gold and silver 

 the annual amount of -v 1,500,000 dollars, 

 or in the whole period ij 30,000,000 dollars, 

 or in sterling money . 6,305,000 pounds, 

 or on the average of the 20 



years -* - % 4 ^ * 3 15, 250 pounds. 



During the twenty years under consideration the 

 produce of the mines of Chili has varied very con- 

 siderably, but especially that of silver. In the two 

 years 1810 and 1811, the amount of the latter 

 metal was four hundred thousand dollars. In the 

 year 1812, the mines of the Sierra Amarga at Huasco 

 were accidentally discovered, and the produce of 

 that and the following year amounted to about 

 one million six hundred thousand dollars. In 1814 

 and 1815, partly from the exhaustion of the veins, 

 and partly from the troubled state of the country, 

 the quantity yielded declined to one half, or eight 

 hundred thousand dollars. From 1815 to 1825, 

 the produce gradually diminished, and on the aver- 



