of the Cerro de Pasco. 63 



water level it was no easy task to save oneself from a plunge 

 into the stream, which at places was rather deep. In two 

 instances fatigue and the narrow passages caused me to slip, 

 and I was glad to escape after being but half immersed. I 

 longed for the powerful engines of Monkwearmouth to aid 

 my ascent, and was inexpressibly delighted when at length I 

 did discover signs of daylight ; for though the depth was not 

 more than 300 to 400 feet, the distance traversed, whilst fol- 

 lowing the tortuous windings of the several leads of ore, was 

 very great. 



That part of the mountain already worked having in a 

 great measure fallen in, another basin is thereby formed, the 

 whole of which seemed alive with quadrupeds of all kinds ; 

 whilst the appearance and disappearance of the miners, as 

 they emerged from or entered the innumerable little holes in 

 the mountain side, reminded one of a rabbit warren or an 

 ant-hill. The natives have no beauty of feature to boast of, 

 nor are they improved by the habit of chewing " coca," 

 which they stuff into their mouths to such an extent as to 

 cause a protuberance of the cheeks, which at first I took for 

 a disease, until informed to the contrary. 



The miners almost universally chew the coca, and take a 

 supply of the article into the mines with them, which, in one 

 instance, was the means of preserving the lives of several 

 men for many clays. The roof of the mine having fallen in, the 

 buried men had no means of egress until rescued by their 

 companions, after several days' confinement, life being alone 

 sustained by " coca/' of which it fortunately happened they 

 had a plentiful supply. 



In one deserted mine there are still buried several miners, 

 neither the richness of the ore, which was remarkable, 

 nor the love of friends, being strong enough to induce 

 further search for those unfortunates, who some years ago 

 were buried alive. I forget the Spanish name since given 

 to the mine, but the literal meaning is " the mine of 

 death."* 



Our point of egress from the bowels of mother earth was 

 at some distance from the shaft by which we entered, but the 

 cooling mountain breeze was not the less welcome. The noise 

 of the pick and hammer below was exchanged for the gibber- 

 ish of innumerable ant-like beings who, emerging from their 

 burrow, deposited their burthens on the surface, and leisurely 



* ["La mina de la muerte." — Ed.] 



