140 METALS AND MINERALS. 



rushed, in 1800, near 1500 quintals of copper of excellent 

 quality. The green-stone rocks of the transition mountains 

 of Tucutunemo (between Villa de Cura and Parapara), 

 contain veins of malachite and copper pyrites. The indi- 

 cations of both ochreous and magnetic iron in the coast- 

 chain, the native alum of Chuparipari, the salt of Araya, 

 the kaolin of the Silla, the jade of the Upper Orinoco, the 

 petroleum of Buen-Pastor, and the sulphur of the eastern 

 part of New Andalusia, equally merit the attention of the 

 government. 



It is easy to ascertain the existence of some mineral 

 substances, which afford hopes of profitable working, but 

 it requires great circumspection to decide whether the 

 mineral be sufficiently abundant and accessible to cover the 

 expense.* Even in the eastern part of South America, gold 

 and silver are found dispersed in a manner that surprises the 

 European geologist ; but that dispersion, together with the 

 divided and entangled state of the veins, and the appear- 

 ance of some metals only in masses, render the working 

 extremely expensive. The example of Mexico sufficiently 

 proves that the interest attached to the labours of the 

 mines is not prejudicial to agricultural pursuits, and that 

 those two branches of industry may simultaneously promote 

 each other. The failure of the attempts made under the 

 intendant, Don Jose Avalo, must be attributed solely to 

 the ignorance of the persons employed by the Spanish 

 government, who mistook mica and hornblende for metallic 

 siibstances. If the government would order the Capitania- 

 General of Caracas to be carefully examined during a series 

 ot years by men of science, well versed in geognosy and 

 chemistry, the most satisfactory results might be expected. 



The description above given of the productions of Vene- 

 zuela, and the development of its coast, sufficiently shows 



* In 1800, a day-labourer (peon) employed in working the ground, gained 

 in the province of Caracas, 15 sous, exclusive of his food. A man who 

 hewed building timber in the forests on the coast of Paria, was paid at 

 Cumana 45 to 50 sous a- day, without his food. A carpenter gained daily 

 from 3 to 6 francs in New Andalusia. Three cakes of cassava (the bread 

 of the country), 21 inches in diameter, 1$ line thick, and 2lb. weight, 

 cost at Caracas one half-real, or 6 sous. A man eats daily not less than 

 2 sous' worth of cassava, that food being constantly mixed with 

 dried meat (tasajo), and pajielon, or unrefined sugar. 



