the South-Sea. I^p 



gets, on which the Arms of the Crown are ftamp'd, as 

 alfo thofe of the Place where they were caft, their Weight 

 and Quality, with the Finenefs of the Silver, to anfwer the 

 Meafure of ail Tilings, according to an ancient Philo- 

 fopher. 



It is always certain., that the Ingots y which have paid the Frauds 

 Fifth, have no Fraud in them; but it is not fo with the 

 Pinnas, or Maffes not call : Thofe who make them, often 

 convey, into the Middle of them Iron,' Sand, and other 

 Things^ to increafe the Weight fo that in Prudence they 

 ©ught to be open'd, and made red-hot at the Fire, for the 

 more Certainty f for if falfify'd, the Fire will either turn 

 k black or yellow, or melt more eafily.. This Tryal is 

 alfo ufeful to* extract a Moifture they contrad in Places 

 where they are laid on purpofe to make them the heavier. 

 In Ihort, their Weight may be increased one Third, by dip- 

 ping them in Water when they are red-hot; as alfo to fepa- 

 rate the Mercury, with which the Bottom of the Mafs is 

 always more impregnated than the Top : It alfo fometimes 

 happens that the fame Mafs is of Silver of different Finenefs. 



The Stones taken from the Mines r the Ore, or to fpeak 

 in the Language of Peru, the Metal from which the Silver 

 is extracted, is not always of the fame Nature, Confidence, 

 or Colour ; there is fome white and gray, mix'd with red 

 or bluifli Spots > which is call'd Plata blanca y white 

 Silver j the Mines of Upes are moft of them of this fort. 

 For the moft part there appear fome little Grains of Sil- 

 ver, and even very often fmall Branches extending along 

 the Layers of the Stone. 



There are fome on the other hand, as black as the Drofs Otht? Smfi 

 of Iron, in which the Silver does not appear, call'd Ne- 

 grillo ^ that is blackifli > fometimes it is black with Lead, 

 for which Reafon it is call'd Plomo Ronco y that is, coarfe 

 Lead, in which the Silver appears if fcratch'd with fome- 

 thing that is harfli j and it is generally the richeft, and 

 gpt with leaft Charge,- becaufe inftead of moulding it 

 with jQgickfilvcr^ it is melted in Furnaces, where the 



Lead 



