Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/591

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MEXICO IN 1827
571

of those rich spots commonly called "Clavos," which although of small extent in a horizontal direction, were very constant in perpendicular depth. These "Clavos" were worked to the depth of one hundred and eighty varas, though the mine had no shaft; and during the whole of this space, the most ordinary ores yielded from ten to fifteen marcs to the monton of fifteen quintals, while the richest are said to have produced from seventy to one hundred and five. The lode of Cinco Señores is five varas in width, and the quality of the ores fully equal to their abundance: the mine is three hundred varas in depth, which, even at Gūārĭsămĕy, is an extraordinary circumstance, few of the oldest mines exceeding one hundred, or one hundred and forty varas. Near the summit of the mountains that separate San Dimas from Guarisamey, lie the mines of Bolaños and Piramide, with others, all of inconsiderable depth. The bonanza of Bolaños, upon its first discovery, was celebrated, but the mine was abandoned in consequence of the failure of an adit commenced with great magnificence, but so badly conducted, that after wandering in various directions in search of the lode, at a very considerable expence, it came out again on the side, at a very little distance from the point where it had entered the mountain.

On the North side of the same ridge lies the famous mine of La Candelaria, from which a very large portion of Zambrano's fortune proceeded. It is situated near the summit of the mountain, imme-