CURRENCY. 



239 



Gold manufactured into ornaments in this country is generally- 

 worked up just as it comes from the river, without the application ^jj 

 any artificial alloy. The Indians do not understand this art of mixing. 

 The Spaniards often do ; and the Indians have their own way of prov- 

 ing the impositions sometimes practised on them. The Brazilian mer- 

 chant was exceedingly annoyed at the idea of being considered dishonest 

 by those he had been dealing fairly with. He tried in vain to show 

 that he sold the beads for less than if they had been pure. It was of 

 no use ; the Indians had their ideas of what they should be ; they did 

 not want the reasoning, but pure gold beads. 



Don Antonio made a young mestizo girl a present of a gilded chain, 

 because she had purchased a number of ribbons and silk handkerchiefs 

 from him. She brought it back a short time after, and thanked him 

 for it, saying it was of no use. They had put it into the fire, and it 

 very soon turned copperish. He was much displeased with her, because 

 he had made it a present ; but she answered, " Had your present been 

 pure, I should have valued it." 



Shot-guns are valuable; but the people refuse to pay coin for them; 

 there is very little here indeed. The Amazon trader, who comes from 

 a cacao-producing country, is invited to accept so many pounds of 

 chocolate for a shot-gun, or to exchange shot for the same article. 



.The copper coin and paper money of Brazil are of no value here. 

 The smallest coins in Bolivia are three-cent silver pieces. There is no 

 copper currency. The metal is found on the plains of Oruro in too 

 great abundance. Neither have they paper money in Bolivia as in 

 Brazil. 



The authorities mentioned to Don Antonio he-would be expected to 

 pay a duty for every thousand dollars he may collect in silver and gold 

 in the country. The people seem jealous of the foreigner who brings 

 them goods and carries off silver. 



