M E X I C O. 



181 



Mexico. 



iher me- The other metals in New Spain have been greatly 

 ''* neglected, but are sufficiently worthy of attention ; 



copper is found in a native state, and under the form 

 of vitreous and oxidulated copper in several mines ; 

 and, from the quantity of instruments of that metal 

 found among the ancient Mexicans, must be plentiful 

 in the country. About 1565 quintals of plate copper, 

 and 13,947 Ibs. of wrought copper, amounting altoge- 

 ther to the value of 4-2, 1 3 1 piastres, were exported from 

 Mexico in 1802. Tin is found in veins, but is extract, 

 ed chiefly from the earth of alluvial lands brought 

 down the ravines ; and about 58 J quintal* were export- 

 ed in 1803, to the value of 1,483 piastres. Iron, though 

 little used by the ancient Mexican*, is more abundant 

 than is generally believed, and particularly in the ; ro- 

 vincim internal ; but is wrought with any degree of 

 spirit only when a maritime war has interrupted the 

 importation of steel and iron from Europe. Lead is 

 very abundant in various parts of New Spain, but the 

 mine* are not wrought to any extent ; and only 330 

 quintals were exported in 180.', besides what is re- 

 quired in the country. Mercury might be procured in 

 considerable quantities from the numerous veins of 

 Cinnabar which are found in Mexico ; and, instead of 

 being received, may one day be supplied by America ; 

 but at present 16,000 quintals are annually imported 

 for the mining operations of New Spain, /me, anti- 

 **<My, and arienic are found in several places, I 

 tali has not been discovered among the mineral* of tin- 

 country ; and manganese is leas abundant than in the 

 corresponding latitudes of the old continent. 



Cool also is very rare, and is mint abundant to the 

 west of Sierra Verde near the lake of Timpanogos. 

 Rock toll is found in the >ame place ; and toda is merely 

 disseminated in the argillaceous lands, which cover the 

 ridge of the Cordilleras. The most abundant salt mine 

 in Mexico is the lake of Penon Blanco, in the inUndan- 

 cy of San Luis Potosi, the bottom of which is a bed of 

 argil, yielding 12 or 13 per cent, of muriate of soda; 

 but, a- the Indians, who form the great part of the po- 

 pulation, continue to season their food with pimento 

 instead of salt, the consumption of these articles in 

 Mexico is chiefly confined to the amalgamation of silver 

 minerals, for which purpose from 20 to 30 fanegos are 

 annually imported from I Cu rope. 



Propty O f All the metallic wealth of New Spain, as well as in 

 the other colonies, is in the hands of individuals ; and 

 the government is not even proprietor of the great 

 levels. Individual* receive from the king a grant of a 

 certain number of measures in the direction of a vein 

 or bed ; and are bound in return to pay very moderate 

 duties on the minerals extracted from the mines, 



amounting in general to about 13 per cent. The num- Mexico. 

 ber of persons employed in these subterraneous opera- s "V^* 

 lions, throughout the whole of New Spain, does not Min "*- 

 exceed 30,000, which is only about -^ of the whole 

 population. The labour of a miner i entirely free; 

 and no Indian or Mestizoe can be compelled to engage 

 in the working of mine*, or to continue in one place 

 when he is thus employed. No miners are better paid 

 than those of Mexico; and no where do they enjoy in 

 greater -.ecurity the fruit of their labours. Nor is their 

 occupation observed to lie more destructive of health 

 than that of the other clasve.,, although t'-eir exertions 

 are great, and the temperature in which they exist very 

 high. In several of the mines the heat i* rl.-u-n de- 

 grees of Fahrenheit above the mean temperatures of 

 Jamaica and I'ondicherry ; and t'le labourers, who carry 

 the minerals on their tnck, are exposed to a change of 

 temperature, in ascending and desvendine, of more than 

 >0 degrees. ' Yet, in these circumst.m ei, they will re- 

 inn for six hours under a load of 225 or S50 pounds, 

 ascending eight or ten times successively stairs of 1800 

 tens. But this labour is accounted unhealthy, if they 

 nter the mines above three days in the week. Those 

 who blow the rock with powder, are found to suffer 

 most in their health ; and hence they seldom continue 

 more than five or six years at this employment. They 

 re well paid in every department of the work ; and ge- 

 nerally gain from 20 to 24 shillings per week, while la- 

 bourers in the open air can earn only from six shillings 

 three-pence to seven shillings and sixpence in tin- 

 tame space of time. They are, nevertheless, much ad- 

 dicted to pilfering; and, though almost naked, con- 

 trive a number of plans to secret the richer minerals, 

 Concealing them in their hair, their mouths, under 

 their arm-pits, and sometimes even inserting them by 

 ""I" f cylinders of clay into their anus. They are 

 of consequence regularly searched upon leaving the 

 pit ; and a register kept of the minerals detected about 

 their persons, which, in one valuable mine, has been 

 known to amount nearly to 3000 per annum. 



In this mountainous and extensive country, whose Vegetable 

 geometrical position and geological configuration con- produc- 

 tribute in producing the greatest diversity of climate, tion< - 

 the variety .if indigenous productions is immense; and' 

 scarcely a plant exists in the rest of the >;lobe, which is 

 not capable of being cultivated in some part of New 

 Spain. Much has been done by distinguished botanists, 

 employed by the government, to examine the vegetable 

 riches of the country ; but still many tracts remain to 

 be explored, and new plants are daily discovered e\en 

 in the central table-land, and in the very vicinity of the 

 capital. The mines are by no means the principal 

 sources of Mexican wealth ; neither have they proved 

 in general such obstructions, as has been imagined, to 

 the progress of agriculture, which has been gradually 

 ameliorating since the end of the 17th century. On 

 the contrary, they have contributed powerfully, in 

 many cases, to promote the cultivation of the soil.' The 

 subsistence required for the labourers and cattle em- 

 ployed in mining operation*, has occasioned the esta- 

 blishment of farm in their neighbourhood, and brought 

 under culture every spot of earth in the adjoining de- 

 clivities and ravines. Nor do the natives easily forsake 

 these settlements after the subterraneous operations 

 have ceased, but continue rather to prefer these retired 

 situations, and preserve a strong attachment to the re- 

 idence of their forefathers. 



The vegetable productions, which constitute the 

 chief support of the Mexican people, form the great ob. 



7 



