The First Technical Use of Gold, fyc. 69 



thrive in this colony there can he little doubt, and their great 

 value, as well as singular peculiarity, would amply justify the 

 moderate amount of trouble and expense the attempt to intro- 

 duce a small number would involve. 



The Horse was introduced by the Spaniards, and greatly 

 aided them in their rapid and bloody conquest of the timid 

 and gentle natives, who were equally surprised at the strange 

 animals their invaders rode, and the novel weapons they used. 

 There has been very little care taken by the Spaniards to im- 

 prove the breed of this useful animal. They are generally 

 allowed to roam wild on the open plain, where they are caught 

 with the lazo as required. A superior breed, however, is to 

 be found in Peru and other parts of this extensive continent. 

 The mules from Upper and Lower Peru are of a superior 

 quality, and form a considerable article of export to the 

 Northern States, where they are extensively employed for the 

 purpose of transport in the mountain regions. 



The Peruvian pony is a small, hardy, sure-footed animal. 

 It is capable of enduring fatigue to nearly as great a degree 

 as the mule, but for mountain travelling the latter is generally 

 preferred for its well-known sure-footed quality. Having 

 thus briefly presented an account of the most useful domes- 

 ticated animals of South America, I now leave it to the Philo- 

 sophical Institute to consider what steps may be deemed 

 requisite to secure the benefits likely to result to this colony 

 from the introduction of some of these useful animals. 



Art. VIII. — On the First Technical Use of Gold by the Abo- 

 rigines of South America, with a description of the Indian 

 Tombs. By P. Nisser, Esq. 



[Read before the Institute 22nd June, 1859.] 



(With a Plate.) 



The present times furnish ample illustration of the influence 

 gold has had in extending civilization and promoting the 

 rapid populating of previously desert regions. 



Gold, as the representative of material wealth, has always 

 exercised a powerful influence on the actions of mankind. 

 It is, therefore, highly interesting as well as instructive, to 

 observe the effects produced on the natives of the wilderness 



