together with all other judicial deposits, during the Revolution. The great Bonanzas of his mines began in 1787 and 1789.
The mine of San Rămōn belonged, together with the mines of Dolores and Serreno, to Don Jorge Parodi, a Genoese, and produced, in 1787, a Bonanza of two millions of dollars. The richness of the ores may be inferred from the fact, that those of the mine of Serreno, which yield five and six marcs of Silver per carga, were regarded as unworthy of attention, and the workings not extended beyond their present depth of one hundred and thirty-seven varas: while the vein of San Ramon was explored in all its ramifications with the greatest care.
Zuniga, on his arrival at Catorce, was merely a muleteer, who visited the mountains with supplies for the newly discovered district; meat and every other necessary being then paid for almost à peso de plata, (by their weight in silver.) Encouraged by the examples of sudden riches which he saw around him, he sold his mules, and purchased with the proceeds (about 2,000 dollars) the two mines from which he afterwards derived such enormous wealth. They were at that time "catas," that is, new denunciations, without a shaft, or any other requisite; but the ores were rich at the very surface, and the Rescatadores, who flocked to Catorce from the neighbouring districts, enabled him to convert the produce at once into dollars, and thus to prosecute his works with great activity. His title of captain he bought in his more prosperous
