Doc. No. 75. 217 



able, the hidden treasures are scarcely of inferior worth; and in no part 

 of the world are mines so generally found in nearly every district. Many 

 of these were successfully worked after the conquest and during the 

 Spanish dominion. Besides the mines of gold and silver, there are 

 others containing lead in nearly a pure state; the ore yielding 90 per cent, 

 of metal. In some specimens 25 per cent, of silver is said to be mixed 

 with the lead. 



At the village of Patapa^ 9 leagues from Santa Anna, in the State of 

 San Salvador, are some rich mines of iron, which produce a purer and 

 more malleable metal than any imported from Europe; the ore is close 

 to the surface, and very abundant, and there are extensive forests in the 

 hmnediate vicinity, which serve for making charcoal. But, notwith- 

 standing, the amount of iron manufactured is only to equal the supply of 

 the State when it is worth $10 the 100 lbs., or $200 per ton. In the 

 same neighborhood are several silver mines, which were successfully 

 worked in the time of the Spaniards, but are now abandoned for want of 

 capital to carry them on. 



Five leagues north of San Miguel are a number of mines, principally 

 of silver: among them was one called La Carolina, worked by a Spaniard 

 about 30 years ago. He invested his own property, borrowed $100,000, 

 and, after getting the mine in working order, in less than six months was 

 enabled to pay his obligations; and, although he died before the end of 

 the year, left $70,000 in gold and silver, the produce of the mine. After 

 his death the ownership was disputed, the works fell into ruins, and the 

 mine became filled with water, in which condition it remains. The mines 

 of Tabanco were more celebrated than those in this vicinity, and when 

 worked yielded upwards of $1,000,000 annually, although worked in a 

 rude manner, without machinery. The principal of these once yielded 

 $200,000 annual profits to the proprietors. 



Near the town of Teguzigalpa, the capital of Honduras, there are a 

 number of mines which still produce a considerable amount of the pre- 

 cious metals, although not one-tenth of what they formerly yielded. All 

 the hills in the neighborhood abound in gold and silver, generally inter- 

 mixed; and though none of them have been excavated to any depth, or 

 worked by proper machinery, they have formerly yielded more than 

 $2,000,000 per year; and were European capital and science introduced, 

 the produce would be great. From all I have been able to collect, this 

 neighborhood appears to possess natural stores of the precious metals, even 

 exceeding those of the celebrated mines of Potosi, in Bolivia. For a scien- 

 tific and practical miner, supported by capital, they probably offer the 

 best adventure to be found in Spanish America. 



The ores generally contain from 12 to 15 per cent, of silver, and from 

 one to one and a half per cent, of gold; but the latter metal is often found 

 pure in many places, and the value of some thousands of dollars is annually 

 collected by the Indians in the sands of the rivers, pieces of gold weigh- 

 ing as many as five and six pounds having occasionally been discovered. 



Some rich gold washings exist at Matagalpa, near Segovia, in Nicara- 

 gua, which are only worked by the Indians, Avho annually collect and dis- 

 pose of a few pounds of very pure gold. Some copper mines have also 

 been discovered here, the ore of which, when shipped to England, yield- 

 ed 35 per cent, of copper. 



In the district of Nicaragua, in the same State, many traces of the 



