number of tools, the timber required for prop- 

 ping the archeS;, which is very scarce and ex- 

 pensive in the country, the numerous workmen 

 who must be paid and subsisted, together with 

 the uncertainty of the product, are reasons 

 which operate powerfully to discourage those 

 who are inclined to engage in mining ; of 

 course, the number of those who pursue this bu- 

 siness is very small in comparison to that of the 

 mines. 



When any persons are desirous of opening a 

 mine, application is made to the government, 

 which readily grants its permission, and ap- 

 points an inspector, under whose authority and 

 direction they begin by dividing the mine into 

 three equal parts, or estacas, each two hundred 

 and forty-six feet long and one hundred and 

 twenty-three broad. The first portion belongs 

 to the king, in whose name it is sold, the. se- 

 cond to the awner of the land, and the third to 

 the discoverer of the mine. As the opening of 

 a mine is very injurious to the cultivation of the 

 land in which it is situated, the propiietors of 

 the soil endeavour to prevent as much as possi- 

 ple the diiscovefy of veins iu their ground:^. 

 The number of persons who fiock from ail 

 quarters to a newly opened mine, tliat promises 

 to be profitable, is almost incredibie. Some 

 come thither to work, others to sell their pro- 

 viiuons, which at such times are iu <';rcat 



u'-. 



