MINING SYSTEM. 



49 



lives at his hacienda, or farm, generally in the 

 neighbourhood, and attends to the details of work- 

 ing and smelting the ore. The habilitador re- 

 sides at some one of the three principal sea-port 

 towns, Coquimbo, Guasco, or Copiapd ; he is the 

 mining capitalist, and his character is that of a 

 diligent, saving man of business, very different in 

 habits from the miner, who is generally an extra- 

 vagant and improvident person. The word Ha- 

 bilitador might, if there were such a word, be 

 translated Enabler, as it is by means of his capi- 

 tal that the miner is enabled to proceed with his 

 work. 



The proprietor of a mine usually farms his own 

 ground, on the banks of one of the few streams 

 which traverse this desolate country. His ha- 

 cienda, or farm, supplies vegetables, and some- 

 times stock, for the subsistence of the miners. 

 The smelting-house is also built on his hacienda, 

 and the ore is brought to his door on mules. 

 These farmers rarely undertake to work a mine 

 with their own unassisted capital : they are sel- 

 dom, indeed, sufficiently wealthy ; and when they 

 are so, it is not found, in the long-run, so advan- 



VOL. IT. D 



