OF SAN PEDRO NOLASCO. 225 



At first we descended by an inclined gallery or 

 level, and then clambered down the notched sticks, 

 which are used in all the mines in South America 

 as ladders. After descending about two hundred 

 and fifty feet, walking occasionally along levels 

 where the snow and mud were above our ancles, 

 we came to the place where the men were working. 

 It was astonishing to see the strength with which 

 they plied their weighty hammers, and the unre- 

 mitted exertion with which they worked ; and 

 strange as it may appear, we all agreed that we 

 had never seen Englishmen possess such strength, 

 and v/ork so hard. While the barreteros, or 

 miners, were working the lode, the apires were 

 carrying the ore upon their backs; and after we 

 had made the necessary observations, and had col- 

 lected proper specimens, we ascended, with several 

 of these apires above and below us. 



The fatigue of climbing up the notched sticks 

 was so great, that we were almost exhausted, while 

 the men behind us (with a long stick in one hand, 

 in the cloven end of which there was a candle) 

 were urging us not to stop them. The leading 

 apire whistled whenever he came to certain spots, 



