NOTICES OP CHILE. 



159 



are allowed to sell the ores, in order to guard against pecula- 

 tion by the laborers. Silver specimens are worth from ten to 

 twelve dollars the pound, and gold in proportion. 



Not long since, a very rich silver mine was discovered near 

 Copiapo, from which "papas" of native silver are sold at a 

 price very little below that of the native metal. A single spe- 

 cimen was purchased the other day in La Serena, at ^207! 



I am told that the dross and slag formed when the copper 

 is cast into pigs, contain sufficient metal to yield a profit by 

 smelting it a second time. 



Nothing is imported direct from abroad to Coquimbo, but 

 to supply the demand for goods used in the province, among 

 which are large quantities of American domestics, the shop 

 keepers resort once or twice a year to Santiago or Valparaiso. 

 The distance from the former city is travelled by the mail in 

 from seven to eight days, but laden mules seldom get through 

 the journey in less than twenty. 



