MINING IN SOUTH AMERICA. 283 



encourage competition and industry, and leave the 

 idle to starve — in South America, the miners are 

 away from the force of all these regulations, and a 

 high, fixed salary, with cheap wines and provisions, 

 discourage competition and labour. 



4. In Cornwall, although the miners have no 

 theory, no schools, no books, yet, from long prac- 

 tice and experience, they most perfectly understand 

 the geological construction of the country, the par- 

 ticular nature of the ores they seek, and the diffi- 

 culties which they are likely to meet with. — In 

 South America, the geological construction of the 

 Andes, and the mountains in which the mines are 

 situated, is unknown to the Cornish miner — he is 

 unacquainted with the ores he is to seek. The mu- 

 riates, carbonates, pacos, colorados, and other non- 

 resplendent ores, are by him so unnoticed, and un- 

 valued, that the native miner has actually to point 

 out to him the riches of the mine he has come to 

 improve.* 



* There exists in England a natural feeling of confidence in 

 the exertions of English workmen, but I am afraid this expecta- 

 tion will not be realized in South America. 



The Cornish miner is, I believe, one of the best-regulated 

 workmen in England, but like all well-regulated workmen his 



