80 



is very considerable. I have made much search^ 

 but without success, to discover the platina, or white 

 gold, found in Peru. What bears the name of white 

 gold in Chili is a mixture of gold and silver in which 

 the latter predominates. But since I left that country 

 a new immalleable metal, of a kind unknown to the 

 miners, has been discovered in the gold mine of 

 Capati on the mountains of Copiapo, which I ima- 

 gine can be no other than platina. 



Many obstacles present themselves to impede the 

 working of the mines, both in the danger to which 

 the miners are exposed from the mephitic vapours, 

 called mountain fires, and in the vast expense at- 

 tending the digging them. The great number of 

 tools, the timber required for propping the arches, 

 which is very scarce and expensive in the country, 

 the numerous workmen who must be paid and sub- 

 sisted, together with the uncertainty of the product, 

 are reasons which operate powerfully to discourage 

 those who are inclined to engage in mining ; of course, 

 the number of those who pursue this business is very 

 small in comparison to that of the mines. 



When any persons are desirous of opening a mine, 

 application is made to the government, which rea- 

 dily grants its permission and appoints an inspector, 

 under whose authority and direction they begin by 

 dividing the mine into three equal parts, or estacas^ 

 each two hundred and forty-six feet long and one 

 hundred and twenty- three broad. The first portion 

 belongs to the king, in whose name it is sold, the 

 second to the owner of the land, and the third to the 



