1873O Mineral Riches of the Philippines. 323 



which have now any interest in it, the usual impatience for 

 grand results having caused most of them to sell out. A 

 great deal of money has been spent in this undertaking, 

 and it is now only beginning to yield a favourable return. 

 The great objection to the mine is that it is situated at a 

 considerable distance from the coast, from which it is 

 separated by a very rugged mountain chain, intersected by 

 deep gullies or barrancos, making transport both difficult 

 and expensive. The works are conducted scientifically 

 under experienced engineers, and the metal produced is of 

 good quality. An immense number of obstacles have pre- 

 sented themselves in the course of the work, but which 

 patience and skill have in a great measure overcome, but 

 the great difficulty of the road to the coast is insurmount- 

 able, except at an expense which it would not be prudent 

 to incur. The ingots of copper are carried down by natives 

 on their backs, and the stores, &c, for the mine reach it by 

 the same conveyance. The indomitable courage and per- 

 severance of the original projector, and present head of the 

 enterprise, have alone prevented its being abandoned long 

 since. In a more favourable situation there is little doubt 

 that the copper mine of Mancayan would be a most pros- 

 perous concern. The ore is generally massive, but some 

 very beautiful crystallised specimens have been brought to 

 Manila. Long before Europeans began to work there, the 

 savages of the interior smelted this rich ore in their rude 

 way to form pots and kettles, which appear to have been 

 beaten out of masses of the pure metal. These are now 

 becoming rare, and are considered great curiosities in 

 Manila. 



Great hopes were at one time entertained of larger profits 

 from copper found in the Island of Masbate, but this, like 

 so many other attempts made here, resulted in failure. 

 The ore, which in many cases consisted of almost pure 

 native copper in nodules and irregular masses, was found at 

 a trifling depth, disseminated in the soil, but I believe never 

 in sufficient quantity together to make it a paying specu- 

 lation. This probably was partly caused by the want of 

 mining experience, and a disinclination to risk expenses 

 except for a certainty. A good deal of money has been 

 wasted in the Philippines on mining speculations under- 

 taken without experience, and carried on without the 

 knowledge necessary to success. One of these days we 

 shall very likely hear that great mineral riches have been 

 discovered, and are worked successfully, for there can be 

 but little doubt, from what is already known, that such 



