MINES OF APONE. 327 



and served up the best supper his house 

 afforded, to which I sat down with my 

 worthy guide as a messmate, for here there 

 was no distinction of persons. The con- 

 versation turning on his mines, the ac- 

 count he gave did not tally with the glow- 

 ing description I had previously received 

 My guide, rolling himself up in some skins 

 in a corner, soon fell asleep ; and, turning 

 into my hammock, I followed his example, 

 being well tired with my day's journey. 



Dec. 23d. Rose at daylight, and vi- 

 sited the various mines, which consisted 

 of excavations in the sides of the moun- 

 tains. Into one of those which I en- 

 tered, I proceeded, in nearly a horizontal 

 direction, for a hundred yards, until I reach- 

 ed the part they were working. The ex- 

 cavation, arched over head, is about four 

 feet broad, and frequently so low as to com- 

 pel you to go on hands and knees. I exa- 



