METALS A>i]) MIN'EHALS, 
139 
Grenada, has douhUess contributed to foster those 
illusions. It cannot be doubted that the gold-washings oi 
1^ OAv Grenada furnished, in the last years of public tran- 
haillity, niore than 1S,OUO marks of gold ; that Choco and 
"arbacoa supply platinum in abundance ; the valley ol 
^niita Eosa, in the province of Autioquia, the Andes of 
Qnindiu and Gauzuin, near Cuen^^a, yield sulphuretted 
mercury; the table-land of Bogota (near Zipaquira and 
Canoas), fossil-salt and pit-coal; but even in New Grenada, 
^ubterranean labours, on the silver and gold veins, have 
aitherto been very rare. I am far, however, from wishing 
lo discourage the miners of those countries: I merely 
Conceive that for the purpose of proving to the old world 
llie political importance of A'enezuela, the amazing terri- 
loi’ial wealth of which is founded on agTicidture and the 
imoduce of pastoral life, it is not necessary to describe as 
’’yalities, or as the .acquisitions of industry, what is, as yet, 
iounded solely on hopes and probabilities, more or less un- 
certain. The republic of Columbia also possesses on its 
coast, on the isl.and of M.argucrita, on the Eio Hacha, and 
m the gulf of Panama, pearl fisheries of ancient celebrity. 
•In the present state of things, however, fishing for these 
pearls is an object of as little impoi’tance as the exportation 
ef the metals of Venezuela. The existence of metallic 
'eins on several points of the coast cannot be doubted, 
"lines of gold and silver were worked at the beginning of 
l''e conquest at Buria, near Barquesimeto, in the province 
of Los Mariches, at Baruta, on the south of Caracas, and at 
Ileal de Santa Barbara, near the A'^illa de Cura. Gr.ains 
m gold are found in the w'hole mountainous territory be- 
tween Eio Taracuy, the Villa de San Pelipe and Nirgua, 
^8 Well as between Guigne and Los Mores de San Juan. 
^1- Bonplaud and myself, during our long journey, saw 
Nothing in the gneiss granite of Spanish Guiana to con- 
eriu the old faith in the metallic wealth of that district ; 
.Jet it seems certain, from several historical notices, 
'at there exist two grou])s of auriferons allim'al land ; 
O'le between the sources of the Eio Isegro, the Uaupes 
mid the Iquiare ; tlie other between the sources of the 
^'ascqtiibo, the Caroni, and the Eupnnuri. Hitherto only 
one -ft’orking is found in Venezuela, that of Aroa: it fur. 
