SUPPOSED GOLD-OBE. 
235 
out metallic grains, the people imagine, on account of the 
brilliancy of the pyrites, that the torrent bears down gold. 
It is reported, that, after the great earthquake which took 
place in 17G6, the waters of the Juagua were so charged 
with gold, that “ men who came from a great distance, and 
whose country was unknown,” established washing-places on 
the spot. They disappeared during the night, after having 
collected a great quantity of gold. It would be needless to 
show that this is a fable. Pyrites dispersed in quartzose 
veins, crossing the mica-slate, are often auriferous, no 
doubt ; but no analogous fact leads to the supposition that 
the sulphuretted iron which is found in the schistose marls 
of the alpine limestone, contains gold. Some direct experi- 
ments, made with acids, during my abode at Caracas, 
showed that the pyrites of Cuchivano are not auriferous. 
Our guides were amazed at my incredulity. In vain I 
repeated that alum and sulphato of iron only could be 
obtained from this supposed gold mine; they continued 
picking up secretly every hit of pyrites they saw sparkling 
in the water. In countries possessing few mines, the in- 
habitants entertain exaggerated ideas respecting the faci- 
lity with which riches are drawn from the bowels of the 
earth. How much time did we not lose during five years’ 
travels, in visiting, on the pressing invitations of our hosts, 
ravines, of which the pyritous strata have borne for ages the 
imposing names of ‘Minas de orol’ How often have we 
been grieved to see men of all classes, magistrates, pastors 
of villages, grave missionaries, grinding, with inexhaustible 
patience, nmphibole, or yellow mica, in the hope of ex- 
tracting gold from it by means of mercury ! This rage for 
the search of mines strikes us the more in a climate where 
the ground needs only to be slightly raked to produce abun- 
dant harvests. 
After visiting the pyritous marls of the Eio Juagua, we 
continued following the course of the crevice, which stretches 
along like a narrow canal overshadowed by very lofty trees. 
We observed strata on the left bank, opposite Cerro del 
Cuchivano, singularly crooked aud twisted. This phenome- 
non I had often admired at the Ochsenberg,* in passing the 
* This mountain of Switzerland is composed of transition limestone. 
We find these same inflexions in the strata near Bonneville, at Nautc 
