50 MINING IN THE CHAP. X. 



earth in search for gold, in most of the countries 

 of Europe ; but in no part of it to so great an 

 extent as in the bishopric of Salzburg. The 

 inhabitants of that country seemed to think 

 themselves within thfe reach of the apple of the 

 Hesperides and of the golden fleece, and to find 

 in their streams the Pactolus of antiquity. Be- 

 tween the years 1538 and 1562 more than a 

 thousand leases of mines were taken. The 

 greatest activity prevailed, and one or two large 

 fortunes were made ; but by the beginning of 

 the next century, though large quantities of iron, 

 copper, calamine, cobalt, and vitriol, with some 

 gold and silver, had been extracted, partly from 

 disappointment and partly on account of religious 

 differences, the district was deprived of the 

 greater portion of its inhabitants. In process 

 of time, too, the lawines or glaciers extended 

 themselves lower down on the mountain, and 

 rendered the openings to the mines inaccessible ; 

 yet so late as 1?96, efforts were directed by the 

 then archbishop to work the mines, which were 

 filled with snow and ice, but with very little 

 success \ 



In the Tyrol, near to Brixen, between the 

 towns of Rattenburg and Schwatz, are silver 

 mines, which during the excitement in the six- 

 teenth century had obtained the name of El 



1 Vierthaler, vol. i. p. 261. 



