59 



Chili contains also this valuable production. In 

 the province of Copiapo, one of the richest parts of 

 the world in minerals, are two little mountains al- 

 most entirely composed of the most beautiful crys- 

 tallized sulphur, so pure that it does not require 

 refining.* And there is scarce a valley in the Andes 

 but what contains a reservoir of this mineral. 



Sect. X. Pyrites, — The whole territory of Chi- 

 li is sown with pyrites. They are of different qual- ^ 

 ities and shapes, and discovered at various depths, 

 frequently in groupes, but more usually in veins va- 

 rying in extent and thickness. They most generally 

 accompany metals of some kind, and are found both 

 in veins of ore, in chalk, clay and common stone, 

 but rarely in quartz or in rock crystal. 



In the three divisions, under which they may be 

 classed, the iron, the copper and the arsenic, they 

 present themselves with such different modifications, 

 that a particular enumeration and description of 

 them would require a volume. The most remark- 

 able species of those that I have seen, is the aurife- 

 rous pyrites, generally denominated the Inca stone. 

 M. Bomare, in his Dictionary of Natural History, 

 observes, that this stone is very rare, and found only 

 in the tombs of the ancient Peruvians. This may 

 perhaps be the case in Peru, but it is otherwise in 



* On the high ridge of the Cordilleras, forty leagues south-east 

 from the harbour of Copiapo, are the best mines of sulphur. It is 

 procured, from veins about two feet v/ide, in a state so pure as to 

 require no x^ï\xx\\\%.'~^Frazi€T^s Voyage^ vol. i. 



