Sketch of the Mine of Pasco. 31 



leaves, and bears a round red fruit. The second grows in the pasture 

 ground, and has short white leaves. 



The employment of the population, as might naturally be supposed, 

 consists entirely in mining. They are divided into two classes. The 

 first includes the proprietors ; and the second those who refine that por- 

 tion of metal obtained by the miners and which they work by shares, 

 caUed huachacas, and also that which some others get by fraud. The 

 immorality observed in every mine of Peru, is owing to the indifferent 

 education our ancestors have given us ; in consequence of the facility 

 with which we obtain the necessaries of life, there is very little re- 

 gard for silver. 



Jealousy, intoxication, assassinations, &c. are the vices most com- 

 mon in mines ; this is the reason why the vagt estates of the proprie- 

 tors, and the emoluments which they acquire from time to time, are 

 consumed ; they often throwing the blame upon the miners, of whose 

 faults they are themselves, for the most part, the cause, and not charg- 

 ing it to their own bad management ; losing in this manner, the credit 

 and confidence of those who could be useful to them. Nevertheless, 

 there are persons to be found, worthy, as respects their conduct and 

 untiring perseverance. i 



Geological Description. 



Geology, which has for its object, the knowledge of the different 

 terrestrial strata of wliich our globe is composed, is of the greatest 

 importance to the mineralogist, since in proportion to the knowledge 

 he has of this subject, he can with more facility carry on a work with 

 advantage, and with more or less certainty. 



The layers of which our planet is composed, are divided by geolo- 

 gists into four classes ; the primitive, secondary, transition and allu- 

 vial. The first is distinguished by their not containing remains of 

 organical series, and because they are composed of crystals deposited 

 confusedly, and they occupy the most interior part of the globe as 

 far as we know. The transition lies upon the primitive, and contains 

 the earliest vestiges of animals and plants, and consequently belongs 

 to a previous creation. The secondary contains vast quantities of the 

 remains of animals and vegetables, and lies almost always upon the 

 transition, and generally in horizontal strata. The alluvial is com- 

 posed of the ruins of the primitive, transition and secondary soils, 

 and contains frequently remains of amphibious animals and fish ; 

 they lie upon the secondary, and sometimes upon the primitive. 



