114 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



ceeded Miers Fisher as Jean Audubon's agent, and 

 becoming enthusiastic over the lead mine, was anxious to 

 exploit it. Acting also upon the senior Audubon's re- 

 quest, he assumed a sort of guardianship over the son. 

 Dacosta began to dig for ore in the following year. 

 News of his enterprise spread rapidly, and this long 

 neglected mine was heralded in the newspapers as "one 

 of the first discoveries yet made in the United States." 2 

 On December 15, 1804, Dacosta purchased a one-half 

 undivided interest in "Mill Grove/' 3 giving, as we be- 

 lieve, a mortgage, and hoping to pay for his share out 

 of the profits of the lead mine. Thereafter for about 

 two years he continued to conduct the farm and develop 

 the mine, upon the basis of a one-half interest, in addi- 



It seems probable that Dacosta was sent to this country by Lieutenant 

 Audubon to act as his agent for the disposition of "Mill Grove," and to 

 succeed Miers Fisher in the conduct of his business affairs. Interest in 

 the neglected and forgotten mine may have diverted them from their 

 original plans. 



2 The following notice, copied from Relf's Gazette, appeared in the 

 New York Herald for Saturday, November 17, 1804: 



"The lead mine discovered on Perkiomen creek, in Montgomery county, 

 Pennsylvania, the property of Francis Dacosta, has been lately opened, and 

 attended with great success. The vein proves to be a regular one, and 

 of long continuance. Its course is N.N.E.; its direction is nearly per- 

 pendicular, and its thickness from one foot to 15 inches. Two tons of 

 that beautiful ore were raised in a few hours, and one ton more at 

 least was left in the bottom on the pit, which is yet but nine feet deep. 

 From the situation of this mine, its nearness to navigation and market, 

 its very commanding height, its richness in metal, and the large scale it 

 forms on; it is thought by judges to be one of the first discoveries yet 

 made in the U. S. 



"From the analysis made of 100 parts, it contains: 



Oxyd of lead 85 



Oxyd of iron 1 



Sulphuric acid 13 



Water 1 



100 



"The lead being coupelled, has proved to contain 2% oz. fine silver to 

 100, which is nearly 3 dollars worth of that metal." 



3 For the sum of 31,000 francs, or $6,200, a slight advance on the cost 

 to Jean Audubon, when he had taken over the farm fifteen years before 

 (see Vol. I, p. 105). 



