THE MINING SYSTEM OF CHILI. 



do fairly own that these earthquakes are very 

 awful things ; and, indeed, must be felt, to be 

 understood in their true extent. Before you hear 

 the sound," he continued, "or, at least, are fully 

 conscious of hearing it, you are made sensible, 

 I do not well know how, that something uncom- 

 mon is going to happen : everything seems to 

 change colour ; your thoughts are chained im- 

 movably down ; the whole world appears to be in 

 disorder ; all nature looks different from what it 

 was wont to do ; you feel quite subdued and over- 

 whelmed by some invisible power, beyond human 

 control or comprehension. Then comes the hor- 

 rible sound, distinctly heard ; and, immediately, 

 the solid earth is all in motion, waving to and fro, 

 like the surface of the sea. Depend upon it, sir, 

 a severe earthquake is enough to shake the firmest 

 mind. Custom enables a man of sense to restrain 

 the expression of his alarm ; but no custom can 

 teach any one to witness such earthquakes with- 

 out the deepest emotion of terror." 





CHAPTER XXXI. 



Account of the Mining System of Chili.— Effect of the 

 Revolution in the Prices of Goods. — Details of a Mining 

 Speculation. — Fallacies respecting the profits of such 

 Enterprises. — Advantages of unrestricted Commerce. 



Notwithstanding the severe fatigues of the 

 day before, our party was up and bustling about 

 by half past five in the morning, making prepara- 

 tians to return to the Port. Our obliging host 

 accompanied us for some leagues, and then re- 

 turned to his mines and his earthquakes, while we 

 hurried on, to make the most of the coolness of 

 the morning. In these countries, the day always 

 breaks with a delicious freshness, which the tra- 

 veller soon learns to appreciate ; for even where 

 there is no dew to moisten the ground, the air is 

 always pleasant at this hour, and the long shadows 

 of t\e eastern hills which stretch across the valleys, 

 r.ot only protect him, for a time, from the intense 

 heat, but shield him from the universal glare, 

 which, in the middle of the day, is so intolerable. 



On reaching the ship, we found Mr. Foster's 

 survey just completed ; and at sunset weighed, and 

 steered along the coast with a gentle breeze from 

 the southward. 



The following account of the mining system in 

 Chili is principally derived from a gentleman long 

 resident in the heart of that particular part of the 

 country ; and as we had many other sources of in- 

 formation to fill up and check his statement, its 

 general accuracy may, I think, be depended upon. 



Copper, silver, and gold, are produced from the 

 mines in the district we had just visited ; the least 

 valuable of these metals being the staple commo- 

 dity of the country. There are many hundreds of 

 copper mines wrought in Chili ; but not more than 

 one of gold for fifty of copper ; and probably not 

 above one of silver for fifteen of copper. 



The average produce of copper in one year has 

 lately risen to more than sixty thousand quintals, 

 of one hundred Spanish pounds each. The greatest 

 part of this goes to Calcutta, a small quantity to 

 China, and the rest to the United States, and to 

 Europe. 



The annual export of silver may be stated at 

 twenty thousand marcs, at eight dollars per marc ; 



but this quantity has varied considerably of late 

 years. Of gold, it is difficult to speak accurately, 

 but its export is certainly very trifling, and of late 

 has been falling off, in consequence of the mining 

 capital finding more advantageous employment in 

 working copper. 



This subject is rendered more than commonly 

 interesting at this moment, from its affording some 

 valuable examples of the practical operation of 

 free trade. Three important commercial advantages 

 have taken place, in consequence of the removal of 

 restrictions, and other reforms consequent upon 

 the revolution : — the enlargement of the market 

 caused by opening a trade with all the world ; — 

 the increased price of copper caused by fair com- 

 petition ; — and the diminution in the cost of its 

 production, owing to the fall in the price of every 

 article used in the mines. 



To place this in a striking point of view, I sub- 

 join a table of the prices before and after the 

 revolution : — 



COMPARATIVE TABLE OF PRICES. 



ARTICLES. 



Former Prices 

 in Dollars. 



Prices in 1821, 

 in Dollars. 



Copper per quintal of 100 Spa- 

 nish lbs. , 



* Steel per quintal . 

 *Iron do 



* Wheat per fanega of 1 50 lbs. 



* Beans do 



* Jerked Beef per quintal of 



lOOlbs 



* Grassa, or soft fat, per botica 



of 501bs 



* Wine and Spirits . . . 

 Fine Cloth per yard . 



* Coarse Cloth do. . . . 

 Printed Cotton Goods, do. . 

 Velveteens per yard . . . 

 Crockery per crate . 

 Hardware . ... 

 Glass 



64 to 7 

 50 

 25 



5 



6 



10 



8 

 No change 

 23 

 5 

 18 to 24 reals 

 26 do. 

 350 

 300 

 200 



12 to 13 

 16 

 8 



24 

 5 



7 to 7* 



6to6£ 



as yet (1821) 



12 



3 



24 to 3 reals 



2 do. 



40 



100 



100 



— The articles marked with an asterisk are used 

 in the mines. 



The money price of labour in the mines had not 

 yet risen, but it is evident that it must rise as 

 the country improves in civilisation, and as more 

 capital is employed in bringing new mines into 

 work ; and, in the mean time, the comforts of the 

 labourers have been materially increased by the 

 diminution in the price of food, and all articles of 

 consumption. 



The above table shows the prices at Santiago 

 and Valparaiso, but the present master-miners 

 enjoy a still further advantage in the cheaper, 

 and, what is of still greater consequence, the more 

 certain supply of all articles necessary in the 

 mines ; formerly, every requisite, such as steel, 

 iron, clothing, and food, was made to pass through 

 Coquimbo, under the mistaken idea of benefiting 

 that town, at the ruinous expense of the miners. 

 This abuse is now removed, and the ships destined 

 to carry away the copper, having unloaded their 

 cargoes of goods for the Chilian market, at Val- 

 paraiso, proceed in ballast to the ports on the 

 mining coast, and carry with them, for a very 

 small freight, everything required by the miners ; 

 so that the heavy expense of land-carriage is en- 



