214 



EXTRACTING NITRE. 



cheta. Whilst dinner was preparing, we 

 visited some small works he had made for 

 extracting nitre. The earth from which he 

 obtained the nitre, was brought from an In- 

 dian cave ; when first discovered it yielded 

 a great quantity, on account of the interior 

 having been so long exposed to the action of 

 the atmosphere ; but as the work has ad- 

 vanced, the quantity of nitre extracted has 

 become less. My scientific companion, Se- 

 nor Rivero, recommended to him that he 

 should expose the earth, from the interior 

 of the cave, to the action of the air for one 

 year; mixing with it earth taken from the 

 walls still standing of an ancient Indian 

 village, by which means the compost would 

 become much more impregnated with ni- 

 trous particles. The nitre that had been made 

 appeared to be very fine and white. Seiior 

 Flores had sold a considerable quantity to 

 the government for their powder-mills, at a 

 dollar a pound. 



