110 
metals A>I) illXLll.VLS. 
nislied, lu ISOO, near 1500 quintals of copper of excellent 
quality. The green-stone rocks of the transition mountains 
ot iucutunemo (between Villa de Cura and Parapara), 
contain veins of malachite and copper pyrites. The indi- 
cations of both ochreoiis and magnetic iron in the coast- 
chain, the native alum of Chuparipari, the salt of Arava, 
the kaolin of the Silla, the jade of the Upper Orinoco, the 
petrolram of Puen-Pastor, and the sulphur of tlie eastern 
liart ot INcw Andalusia, equally merit the attention of the 
government. 
It is easy to ascertain the existence of some mineral 
tybstaiices, which afibrd hopes of profitable working but 
it requires great circumspection to decide whether the 
mineral be sufficiently abundant and accessible to cover the 
expense.* Even in the eastern part of South America, gold 
and silver are found dispersed in a manner that surprises the 
European geologist ; but that dispersion, together with the 
divided and entangled state of the veins, and the appear- 
ance of some metals only in masses, render the working 
cxtrcmelv expensive. The example of Mexico sufficientlv 
proves tliat the interest attached to the labours of the 
mines IS not prejudicial to agricultural pursuits, and that 
those two branches of industry may simultaneously promote 
each other. The failure of the attempts made under the 
intendant, Don Jose Avalo, must be attributed solely to 
the Ignorance of the persons employed by the Spanish 
government, who mistook mica and hornblende for metallic 
^ibstanees. If the government would order the Capitaiiia- ' 
Ueneral of Caracas to be carefully examined during a series 
ot years by men of science, weU versed in geognosy and 
chemistty, the most satisfactory results might be expected. 
ilie description above given ot the productions of Vene- 
zuela, and the development of its coast, sufficiently shows 
InlSOO, aday-tabourer (peon) employed in working the ground, gained 
m the province of Caracas, 15 sous, exclusive of his food. A man who 
hewed building timber in the forests on the coast of Faria, was paid at 
Cnraana 45 to 50 sous a-day, without his food. A carpenter gained dailv 
from 3 to 6 francs m New Andalusia. Three cakes of cassava (the bread 
of the country), 21 inches in diameter, IJ line thick, and 2) lb. weight, 
cost at Caracas one half-rcal, or 64 sous. A man eats daily not less than 
^ sous worth of cassava, that food being constantly mixed with hanana*i 
dried meat (tasajo), and pauelon, or unrefined sugar. 
