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JOURNEY TO THE GOLD MINE OF 

 EL BRONCE DE PETORCA. 



At about two o'clock in the morning we got up, 

 and before we had eaten our breakfasts, the mules 

 arrived with two peons. There were two mules for 

 each person, and they were all driven loose into the 

 yard. " Come now ! Vamos !" said one of the Cor- 

 nish miners, who was always cheerful and ready to 

 start, upon which the party all got their bridles and 

 went down into the yard. The capataz took my 

 bridle and promised to give me a good beast, and I 

 stood for a few moments looking down upon the 

 group from the large corredor or balcony. Each 

 man was choosing his own mule ; and as, from sad 

 experience, he had learnt the difference between 

 riding a good mule and a bad one, it was a point 

 of some consequence. It was amusing to see each 

 individual trying to look an animal in the face, 

 to guess his character by the light of the moon, 

 while the cunning creature, aware of his intention, 

 was constantly hiding his head among his comrades, 



