184 A P P E N D I X. 
or even water (of which none is to be found but what rain 
happens to be preferved in fome natural cavities of the earth), 
from the danger of meeting the roving Indians, from the 
various wild beaffs found in t’nofe plains, fuch as tygers, 
leopards, tapirs, from the fwarms of poifonous reptiles, and 
finally from the endlefs thickets, led on by hopes of enriching 
themfelves, boldly undertook the journey, to obtain fome of the 
metal. They tranfmitted a part of it to Lima and Madrid, 
by which no other advantage was gained than to afcertain it 
to he very foft and very pure iron. As it is forbidden by law, for 
political reafons, to manufafture iron in that country, though 
different parts of it abound with iron mines ; and as it was 
afferted, that the vein of iron extended many leagues, the 
vifible part being only its creft proj effing above the ground, 
which, when dug round, was found to meafure three yards 
from N. to S. two yards and a half from E. to W. and about 
one-third of a yard in thicknefs ; the Viceroy of the river 
Plata fent me with orders to examine this difcovery with 
accuracy; and, in cafe I found it a beneficial mine, that l 
lhould eftablifh a colony there. I accordingly fet off, well 
efcorted, in the beginning of February, 1783, from Rio 
Salado, an ancient civilized hamlet of the Indians whom we 
call Vilelas, and purfued my journey in the direftion E. | N.E. 
though, upon further examination, I found that I ought to 
have taken my direction S E. both corrected. 
The afpeft of the country between the river and the mine, 
diftant feventy leagues from the fettlement, is curious : it 
confifts of an immenfe plain, alternately intermixed with 
thick woods and fertile fields, forming mod pleafing land- 
fcapes. 
The 
i 
