CHAPTER VIII. 



The Mines of New Mexico— Supposed Concealment of tbem by 

 the Indians— Indian Superstition and Cozenage — Ruins of La 

 Gran Q^a'r/m— Old M\nGS,~PlaceTes or Mines of Gold Dust- 

 Speculative Theories as to the original Deposites of tte Gold 

 — Mode of Working the Placeres — Manners and Customs of 

 the Miners — Arbitrary Restrictions % the Mexican Govern- 

 ment upon Foreigners— Persecution of a Gachupia— Disas- 

 trous Effects of official Interference upon the Mining Interest- 

 Disregard of American Rights and of the U. Slates Govern- 

 ment — Gavihucinos and their System — Gold found throughout 

 N. Mexico— Silver Mines— Copper, Zinc and Lead^Sal- 

 phurous Springs— Gypsum, and Petrified Trees. 



Tradition speaks of numerons and produc- 

 tive mines haiang been in operation in New 

 Mexico before the expulsion of the Spaniards 

 in 16S0 ; but that the Lidians, seeing that the 



of 



'? 



of their former cruel oppressions, determined 

 to conceal all the mines by filling them ui 

 and obliterating as much as possible every 

 trace of them. This was done so eifectually, 

 as is told, that after the second conquest (the 

 Spaniards in the mean time not having turned 

 their attention to mining pursuits for a series 

 of years), succeeding generations were never 

 able to discover them again. Indeed it is now 

 generally credited by the Spanish population. 



