64 



which^ though small and of little value, fully 

 prove that the mountains producing them con- 

 ta'n those that are of great worth. Bui the in- 

 dolence of the inhabitants,, which induces them 

 to neglect many other important branches of com- 

 merce, has hitherto prevented them from attend- 

 ing to this, notwithstanding it might become of 

 the utmost importance. 



A little hill at the north-east of Talca, con- 

 sists almost entirely of amethysts. Some are 

 fv.und enclosed in a grey quartz, which serves 

 them for a matrix, and others isolated among the 

 sand. They are more perfect both in colour and 

 hardness in proportion to their depth, and were 

 those who search for them to dig deeper, they 

 would, most probably, discover them in the high- 

 est state of perfection. A short time before I 

 left Chili, I saw some that were of a beautiful 

 violet, and w ould cut glass repeatedly without 

 injuring their points. Among them were a few 

 of as fine a water as the diamond, and perhaps 

 thcv may serve as precursors to that most valu- 

 able gem. Thev are so abundant, that in some 

 of the crevices of the rocks, those of a fine pur- 

 ple may be discovered at almost every step. 



The province of Copiapo owes its name, ac- 

 cordir\g to the Indian tradition, to the great 

 quantity of turquoises found in its mountains* 

 Tliough thc-c stones ought, with propriety, to 

 le clasicd among the concretions, as they are only 



