ioS A Voyage to 



Refining, In order to clear the G@ld quite from the Quickfilvei- 

 it is ftill impregnated with, the Lump muft be run, and 

 then they know the exa& Weight, and the true Fincnefs. 

 It is not done any otherwife there 5 the Weightinefs of the 

 Gold, and the Facility of its making an Amalgama^ or 

 Parte with the Mercury, makes the Drofs immediately 

 part from it. This is an Advantage the Gold Miners have 

 over thofe of Silver ,• thsy every Day know what they get j 

 whereas the others fometimes do not know it till two- 

 Months after, as (hall be {aid in another Place. 



Gold weighi. The Weight of Gold is regulated by Caftellano and 

 a Caftellano is th^hundredth Part of a Spanifli Pound Weight : 

 It is divided into eight < To?nines ; juft fix Caftellano s and 

 two Tomines make an Ounce. It is to be obferv'd, that 

 the Spanifh Weight is 6 f per Cent, lefs than the French Stan- 

 dard. 



Fwnefs.. The Finenefs of the Gold is reckon'd by Quilates^ or 

 Carats, limited to 24 for the higheft ; that of the Mines 

 I ffteak of 5 is from 20 to 21. 

 TroduB of According to the Nature of the Mines, and theRichnefs 

 Gold. of the Veins, every Caxon, or 5 0 Quintals, that is, hundred- 

 Weight r yields four, five, or fix Ounces j when it yields 

 but two, the Miner does not make good his Charges, 

 which often happens ; but he has alfo fometimes good 

 Amends made him, when he meets with good Veins for 

 the Gold Mines are, of all thofe which produce Metals, 

 the moft unequal ; they follow a Vein, which grows 

 wider, then narrower, and fometimes feems to be loft in 

 a fmall Space of Ground. This Sport of Nature makes 

 the Miners live in hopes of finding what they call the Purfe, 

 being the Ends of Veins, fo rich, that they have fometimes 

 made a Man wealthy at once >• and this fame Inequality 

 *efnibefafo f° mct ^ mes ru * ns * t ' iem > which is the Reafon, that it is more 

 If many, and rarc t0 ^ ee a Gold Miner rich than a Silver Miner, or of 

 their Dcfim- any other Metal, tho' there be lefs Expence in drawing it 

 monvaspn- f rom t h e Mineral, as fhall be faid hereafter : For this Rea- 

 "EccL xxxi. 6. t ' ie Miners have particular Privileges ; for they 



cannot 



