QUICKSILVER MINES. 



15 



passes away in a moment, so that the doors must be kept open, and a 

 man constantly feeding the fire. 



The mine is owned by the government, and leased to a company, 

 who keep secret its annual yield. The laborers' wages are never more 

 than fifty cents a day. They are supplied by the company with all 

 they require from the shop — a sort of purser's store-room — altogether a 

 profitable business for the company. It often happens that when the 

 day of reckoning comes, the laborer is in debt on the books of his em- 

 ployer ; he is then obliged to return to the mine and work. 



Cinnebar is said to be found the distance of ten leagues, in all directions, 

 from Santa Barbara, and that the Incas knew of and made use of it. 

 Remains of small ovens, in the shape of retorts, have been discovered. 

 The Indians used it to paint their faces. 



The Only account found of the annual yield of this celebrated mine 

 was from 1570 to 1790 ; during this 220 years, Santa Barbara produced 

 1,040,469 quintals (100 pounds) of quicksilver, or an average of 47,294 

 pounds per annum. The price during this period varied from fifty to 

 one hundred dollars per. quintal, according to the tariff of prices fixed by 

 the Spanish crown. 



Huancavelica is on the inland route between Lima and Cuzco, distant 

 from the former 73 leagues. This, although not the shortest distance 

 to the coast, is yet the best road at the present day, leading to the best 

 seaport. Of this immense rn^ss of cinnebar, not a pound is exported. 

 England finds a market for other quicksilver in the silver mines of Peru ; 

 carried in iron jars around Cape Horn at great expense, it is transported 

 on the backs of mules, almost by the very mouth of Santa Barbara. The 

 roads are very narrow and rough ; it would be impossible to draw a 

 piece of artillery over them in their present condition ; a piano was 

 brought from Lima to Huancavelica, and jpmains cracked to this time, 

 though the house containing it is the centre of gayety and attraction ; 

 the owner expects the music of " The last rose of summer" by the next 

 train of mules. Cargoes arrive from Lima in ten days ; mail-boxes, on 

 a mule, travel the distance in six days. To 15a, 50 leagues ; cargoes 

 take eight days. 



There are no foreigners in Huancavelica. Creole families are few, and 

 the Indian population very poor. Its vegetable productions are raised 

 in this cold ravine ; the inhabitants, generally, keep in doors ; almost 

 all the Spanish Creoles have been to Lima on visits, or educated there, 

 and possess a gay, agreeable manner, and make the cold dreary evenings 

 pass off pleasantly. They have no fires in their houses ; as a substitute, 

 they play romping games, and under the exercise keep comfortable until 



