S66 REVIEWS — NOTES ON CENTRAL AMERICA. 



was supposed, and it now appears probable that the number of the killed will no: 

 exceed one hundred, and of wounded fifty. Among the latter is the bishop, who 

 received a severe blow 01 the head; the late president, Senior Duenas ; a daugh- 

 ter of the president, and the wife of the secretary of the Legislative Chamber?, the 

 latterly severely. 



" Fortunately, the earthquake has not been followed by rains, which gives an op- 

 portunity to disinter the public archives, as also many of the valuables contained 

 in the dwellings of the citizens. 



"The movements of the earth still continue, with strong shocks, and the peo- 

 ple, fearing a general swallowing up of the site of the city, or that it may be buried 

 under some sedden eruption of the volcano, are hastening away, taking with them 

 their household gods, the sweet memories of their infancy, and their domestic ani- 

 mals, perhaps the only property left for the support of their families, exclaiming 

 with Virgil, ' Not patrite fine* (t dttlcia lingvimus arva. ,n 



The peaked and lofty mountain groups already referred to, forming 

 such striking landmarks to the surveyor, have an additional interest in 

 some respects from the extensive evidences of volcanic action which 

 show the process of upheaval still going on throughout a considerable 

 area. Their mineral treasures, too. have long been celebrated. The 

 San Salvador group of silver mines, knr n under the general name 

 of 2Iinas dc Talanco, hold the silver in combination with galena and 

 sulphuret of zinc. They v.vo reported to be easily worked, and to 

 yield from forty-seven to two thousand five hundred and thirty-seven 

 ounces to the ton. Of these the Santa Eosalina mine is the richest, 

 and a considerable part of its ores are shipped direct to England. 

 Bich mines of iron also produce a metal of great value, and easily 

 wrought. The ore is found near the surface, in great abundance, 

 and extensive forests in its immediate vicinity supply the means for 

 making charcoal. Mr. Bail}', whose geographical labours, as we have 

 seen, come under the censure of Mr. Squier from their supposed 

 exaggeration of British rights, states that some of this iron, from 

 the mines near the village of Petapa, was sent to England a few years 

 ago for the purpose of examination, and proved to be a ''very valua- 

 ble variety for conversion into fine steel, approaching in this respect 

 very nearly to the celebrated ivootz of India." But of still more 

 practical interest than any other of its mineral treasures, is its coal, 

 to which Mr. Squier specially directed his attention, and he here 

 communicates the results of his observations : 



"Among the many undeveloped resources of San Salvador, and one which may 

 perhaps come to have a first value in the state, is its coal, of which there is reason 

 for believing vast beds exist throughout the valley of the RioLempa, and in the val- 

 leys of some of its principal tributaries, over a region of country one hundred miles 

 Ions by not far from twenty miles broad. Coal had long been reported to exist in 

 tha state, previously to my visit in 1853. The investigations which were then 



