274 MINES, METALS, AND OEMS, jjfll 
an immense vein of the metal, a metallurgist /. 
examine the spot, and by him it was found j 
pure clay and ashes. Externally it had the ^PP^jpC’’ li- 
very compact iron, but was internally foil of oav 
the whole had been formerly in a liquidstate- 
confirmed by its having, on its surface, the _ dif 
of human feet and hands of a large size, as 'vei ,((* 
the feet of a description of large birds, very It 
South America. Although these impressions 
perfect, it was concluded, either that they 
were 
natures, or that impressions of this kind 
on the ground, and that the liquid mass of jj5l.1i’ pr 
on it, received them. It had the greatest res^i 
a ma.ss of dough ; which, having been stainp^d^jjgeti 
pressionsof hands and feet, and marked with ” 
afterwards been converted into iron. . w’** f icl 
On digging round the mass, the under 
covered with a coat of scoriae from four to six 
undoubtedly oc<wsioned by the moisture ot 'he j g t 
arance 
upper surface being clean, 
ration was observed in 
Not any apBearaw-^ jj ; 
the eartli below or rhhh,[,(] 
great distance. About two leagues to the oi jji 
brackish mineral spring, and a very gentle 
four to six feet in height, running from noi 
with diis exception, the adjacent territort' 
level. About the spring, as well as near 
earth was very light, loose, and greatly resent 
even in colour. The grass in the vicinity, 'va® t-' 
small, and extremely unpalatable to the cattle ; 
a distance was long, and extremely 
From these concurrent circumstances it was coi’^^ 
this mass of native iron, which was estiin"|^‘ ^ v‘’ ,(| 
about tliree hundred quintals, Avas produced W ^ |ii ‘V 
explosion. It is stated as an undoubted fact) pjief* 
the forests of the above district of Santiago dd ^ tjd,(tf 
exists a mass of pure native iron, in the shape 
its branches. At a little depth in the earth '"'C j[,e 
of quartz of a beautiful red colour, whicu 
gatherers, the only persons who trequent ^ ® in''’' 
tory, employ as Hints to light thetr fires. - u--,, 
were selected on account of their peculiar beaU 1’ ^t 
•potted and studded, as it were, with gold '■ ‘ ' 
