78 



others crystallized and disseminated in the rock ; 

 their colour, of a very clear golden yellow, does 

 not indicate that they contain copper. They 

 are mixed with fibrous sulphuret of iron and 

 nodules of swinestone, or fetid carbonat of lime. 

 The marly stratum crosses the torrent ; and, as 

 the water washes out metallic grains, the people 

 imagine, on account of the brilliancy of the py- 

 rites, that the torrent bears down gold. It is 

 reported, that, after the great earthquake, which 

 took place in 1765, the waters of the Juagua 

 were so charged with gold, that " men who 

 came from a great distance, and whose country 

 was unknown," established washing places on 

 the spot. They disappeared during the night, 

 after having collected a great quantity of gold. 

 It would be needless to show, that this is a fa- 

 ble. Pyrites dispersed in quartzose veins, 

 crossing the mica-slate -f, are often auriferous 

 no doubt ; but no analogous fact leads to the 

 supposition, that the sulphuretted iron, which is 

 found in the schistose marls of the alpine lime- 

 stone, contains gold. Some direct experiments, 

 made with acids, during my abode at Caraccas, 

 showed, that the pyrites of Cuchivano are not 

 auriferous. Our guides blamed my incredulity; 

 in vain I repeated, that alum and sulphate of 



* Haarkies. 



f Glimmerschiefer. 



