70 The First Technical Use of Gold 



by the first discovery of this metal; and, it is worthy of 

 especial note that it served a most important purpose in 

 arousing the dormant intellectual faculties, and calling into 

 activity the inventive genius of the untutored savage. In 

 fact, gold and copper have, in different parts of the globe, 

 served a most important purpose in awaking the first sparks 

 of genius, and inducing efforts to obtain some of the benefits 

 these metals confer on those who, by their ingenuity, could 

 turn them into articles of utility or ornament. 



The history of the gradual advance in civilization of bar- 

 barous tribes shows us, among other important facts, that 

 where no metals where found by the inhabitants, improve- 

 ments in domestic conveniences were very limited ; and, we 

 also find that the discovery of metals gives the first impulse 

 towards an early civilization. By further attention we shall 

 likewise find that, to a certain degree, moral improvements 

 were stimulated or retarded as the material progress of the 

 people advanced, retrograded, or remained stationary. 



Gold, we have reason to believe, was, in many parts of the 

 world, the first metal brought into use. This was the case in 

 South America. As soon as this valuable metal was known 

 to be easily liquified by strong heat, it may be presumed that 

 the desire of producing some articles of fancy as ornaments 

 was excited. Then the first casting of some simple trinket was 

 made. In such rude and clumsy castings we have the first 

 proofs of this metal being applied to technical purposes, and 

 also the first step in early civilization. It is true that the use of 

 gold by the aboriginal inhabitants of South America was the 

 indirect cause of much suffering to them, as their valuable 

 massive ornaments excited the cupidity of their invaders; 

 but the effects of the early use of this metal were of consi- 

 derable value to the nation long before the disastrous invasion 

 by the Spaniards. 



Copper, also, came under notice ; as, like gold, this metal 

 is found in a native or metallic state; but, owing to the 

 comparative scarcity of copper in some localities where gold 

 was plentiful, the former was held in higher estimation than 

 the latter, in consequence of certain improvements obtained 

 by an alloy of copper and gold. 



These two metals were the only ones we have any know- 

 ledge of having been discovered in that part of the continent 

 comprising the elevated districts and table lands of the Andes, 

 from the Atlantic ocean to the borders of the empire of 

 Peru, which, at the time we speak of, was in a flourishing 



