94 Cruise of the "Alert" 



alluded. I went by train to Compafiia, which is the terminus 

 of that branch of the line, and spent the night at the resi- 

 dence of Mr. Weir, by whose kind invitation I was enabled to 

 make this interesting excursion. On the following morning we 

 started on horseback, and rode over the hills to Brillador. The 

 mines are eight miles distant from Compafiia, and are situated 

 at an elevation of 1,500 feet above the sea level. Here we 

 put ourselves under the guidance of Mr. Richards, the courteous 

 engineer, who clothed us in canvas mining suits, and supplied 

 each of us with an oil lamp hung on gimbals at the extremity 

 of a long stick ; and thus equipped we entered one of the adit 

 levels opening on to a steep hillside, and bade adieu for some 

 hours to the friendly daylight. One of the peculiarities of a 

 Chilian mine is that the ordinary ladder of civilization is replaced 

 by a notched pole, and that, by means of a succession of these 

 poles, the descent and ascent of the shaft of the mine is accom- 

 plished. Another is that the ore is conveyed from the works 

 at the bottom of the shaft in sacks of hide, each man thus 

 carrying on his shoulders the enormous weight of 200 lbs. The 

 miners whom I saw employed in this work were naked to the 

 waist, and exhibited splendid muscular development of chest 

 and arm. I examined one of the sacks of ore, and found that 

 I could barely raise it off the ground. These fine athletic 

 fellows are fed principally upon maize, figs, and bread, few of 

 them eating meat. Three kinds of copper ore are found in 

 this mine. Near the surface is a light green carbonate of copper 

 which is easily smelted, and when rich in metal (z.e. free from 

 extraneous mineral matter) is in much request ; but even when 

 of low percentage it can be advantageously used for the manu- 

 facture of sulphate of copper. Next in order of depth is found 

 a purple ore, which is a double sulphide of copper and iron ; 

 and at the bottom of the lode is the yellow sulphide of copper, 

 commonly known in Chili as " bronce." Here we saw a most 

 ingenious " rock drill," working at the end of a new level cutting. 



