10 TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



when the importance of amalgamation shall be 

 understood there as well as it is in Peru and 

 Mexico. 



From Laibach, the residence of the aged and 

 venerable Baron Von Zoys, who is still ardent in 

 the study of natural history, and in possession of 

 an admirable collection of the minerals of the 

 country, we proceeded to Idria, which lies two 

 posts to the side of the high road. The way, 

 after many windings, leads into an extremely deep 

 valley, in which the little town is situated. We 

 passed some days there, in examining the curious 

 formation of the slate clay, which forms an ex- 

 tensive bed in compact limestone, of the rich 

 hepatic mercurial ores, especially the coral ore, 

 which represents concentric lamellar, roundish con- 

 cretions, resembling petrified bivalves, and, lastly, of 

 the extensive sraelting-houses, which for many 

 years have furnished annually three thousand 

 quintals of quicksilver. Returning to the high 

 road, we visited, near Adelsberg, the caves in 

 what is called the cavern limestone, in which 

 are found not only loose skulls and other human 

 bones, together with rosaries, but also remains of 

 animals resembling the tapir, imbedded in the 

 limestone. We were very desirous of visiting the 

 neighbouring lake of Zircknitz, famous for its 

 rising and falling; but the object of our journey 

 required haste, and we set out immediately, after 

 having by a fortunate chance obtained eighteen 



