the South-Sea. 161 



which lie any other way. Thofe which are near Places 

 where Mills can be ere&ed, and that are more commo- 

 dioufly wrought, are often preferable to the richer that 

 require more Expencej which is the Reafon that at Lipes 

 and Potofi, a Cheft of Ore muft yield i o Marks, being 

 8 Ounces each Mark, of Silver, to pay the prime Charges,- 

 and at thofe of the Province of < Tara?na 5 pay them. 



When they are rich, and fink downwards, they are fub- Mines flotM. 

 je<St to be flooded ; and then they muft have recourfe to 

 Pumps and Machines, or elfe drain them by thofe they 

 call Socabones, being Paffages made in the fide of the Moun- 

 tain for the Water to run out at, which often ruin the 

 Owners by the exceifiveExpence they infenfibly draw them 

 into. 



There are other ways of feparating the Silver from the Other ways of 

 Stone that confines it, and from the other Metals that are/ e P^ f ^ 

 mix'd with it, by Fire, or ftrong feparating Waters, made 

 ufe of at fome Mines where 1 have not been, and where 

 they make a fort of Ingots, which they call Bollos ; but 

 the moft general and ufual Method being to make the 

 Pinnas, or Maffes above-mention'd, either for Eafinefs, ot- 

 to five Fire and other Ingredients j the Curious may have 

 Recourfe to Jgricola's Treatifc of Minerals, where what is 

 pra&ifed at the Silver Mines in Germany is related. See 

 alfo Cefalpin,' Cefius, Kentmant, Ether, Eucelim y Van Hel- 

 mont, and £uercetan. 



When we examine in what manner the Silver is mix'd silver km 

 with the Stone, in 'Grains or long Slips like Straws, kpz-formd. 

 rated by great Intervals of meer Stone, or elfe in fine Duft 

 mix'd with the fame Stone, it looks as if Nature had 

 form'd them both at the fame Time, and many are of that 

 Opinion. However, if we may believe the Spaniards, the 

 Silver is daily form'd anew in certain Parts of the Mines, 

 not only in the folid Stone, but even in external Bodies, 

 which have been longfince put into them. Experience has 

 verify 'd this Opinion in the Mountain of Potofi, where they 

 have dug fo much in feveral Places, that feveral Mines have 



Y lallen 



