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ART. IX. — Substance of notes made during a Geological Reconnaissance in the 

 Auriferous Porphyry region next the Caribbean Sea, in the Province of Veraguas 

 and Isthmus of Panama. By Richard C. Taylor. 



Veraguas abounds in points of great geological interest, which will, no doubt, 

 amply repay the labors of a scientific investigator. 



Impelled by the wonderful statements in relation to the rich gold deposits but 

 recently discovered in California, thousands have pressed onwards to that attractive 

 land. They left behind, unobserved and neglected, yet within easy access, some of 

 the most prolific areas of the precious metal, which for more than two centuries had. 

 "been worked by the Spaniards upon the Isthmus. More than once has the present 

 writer endeavored to call attention to this fact. 



The gold washings of El Mineral de Veraguas, of Minas de San Antonio, and 

 other localities, were formerly very productive. They can now very readily and 

 advantageously be resumed. Towards the close of the last century, some of the 

 Spanish Creoles obtained from the previously unexplored ravines, upwards of twenty 

 pounds of gold, weekly, for some months, and occasionally they met with lumps 

 weighing many pounds. Even during the years 1800 and 1804, there were introduced 

 into the provincial treasury, from the Rio Conception de Veraguas and its branches, 

 2067 pounds weight of gold. Let it be here observed, that this quantity of the 

 precious metal formed merely the aggregate amount of the three per cent, duty, — 

 that is to say, the rent, or fixed proportion of gold, collected in kind, which was, at 

 that period, reserved to the provincial government. This duty has been subsequently 

 increased ; but for the last forty years, all mining operations have been carried on in 

 a very languid manner, owing probably to political causes and the unsettled state of 

 the country. 



There exists a good map of the Province, on a sufficiently large scale, designed 

 to exhibit its principal geological characters, yet it is entirely deficient in details ; 

 especially in the mountainous region of the interior. This survey and map were 

 undertaken by direction of General Bolivar, at the suggestion of Baron A. Von 

 Humboldt. 



The once celebrated mines, de S. Antonio, are only a few miles south of the mines 

 del Rey or Palenque, which forms the subject of the present communication. The 

 latter are forty miles to the eastward of the Mineral de Veraguas, which is 

 approachable by means of the Conception river. 



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