alone afforded the means of converting it into the ordinary circulating medium of the country; and, with the exception of the Bars exported, direct, from the Eastern and Western Coasts, their Registers undoubtedly afford the fairest estimate of the real Produce.
The average amount of these, on the whole Fifteen years, being, as we have seen, 10,270,731 dollars, it becomes necessary to add no less a sum than 5,571,069 dollars to the returns of produce from the principal Districts, as given above, in order to make them equal in amount to the annual Coinage.
In any country but Mexico, it would be absurd to suppose that so large a mass of Silver could be raised, annually, from sources comparatively unknown; but, in New Spain, there is nothing either impossible, or improbable, in the supposition.
It is a fact universally admitted, that, in almost all the Mining Districts, although the towns have been ruined by the emigration of the wealthy inhabitants, whose capitals were formerly invested in Mining operations, the lower classes have, throughout the Revolution, found means to draw their subsistence from the Mines.
Under the denomination of Bŭscōnĕs, (Searchers) they have never ceased to work; and although, from the want of method in their operations, they have done the most serious injury to the Mines themselves, they have, in general, contrived to extract from the upper levels, or from the old work-
