t the mines of Paracale, (Camarines); and in
the same district the village of Mambulao has long enjoyed fame for
the gold-washing in its vicinity.

In the time of Governor Pedro de Arandia (1754-59), a certain Francisco
Estorgo obtained licence to work these Paracale mines, and five veins
are said to have been struck. The first was in the Lipa Mountain,
where the mine was called "San Nicolas de Tolentino"; the second,
in the Dobojan Mountain, was called "Nuestra Senora de la Soledad de
Puerta Vaga"; the third, in Lipara, was named "Mina de las Animas";
the fourth, in the territory of San Antonio, took the name of "San
Francisco," and the fifth, in the Minapa Mountains, was named "Nuestra
Senora de los Dolores," all in the district of Paracale, near the
village of Mambulao. The conditions of Estorgo's licence were, that
one-fifth (_real quinto_) of the output should belong to the King;
that Estorgo was authorized to construct, arm, and garrison a fort
for his own defence against anticipated attacks from Mahometans,
and that he should have the title of Castellano, or guardian of
the fort. It was found necessary to establish the smelting-works
in Mambulao, so he obtained a licence to erect another fort there
on the same conditions, and this fort was named "San Carlos." In a
short time the whole enterprise came to grief. Estorgo's neighbours,
instigated by native legal pettifoggers in Manila, raised endless
lawsuits against him; his means were exhausted, and apparatus being
wanted to work the mines, he had to abandon them.

About the same time, the gold-mines of Pangotcotan and Acupan (Benguet
district) were worked to advantage by Mexicans, but how much metal was
won cannot be ascertained. The extensive old workings show how eagerly
the precious metal was sought in the past. The Spanish Government
granted only concessions for gold-mining, the title remaining in the
Crown. Morga relates (1609) that the Crown royalty of one-tenth (_vide_
p. 53) of the gold extracted amounted to P10,000 annually. According
to Centeno, the total production of gold in all the Islands in 1876
did not not exceed P3,600.

During the Government of Alonso Fajardo de Tua (1618-24) it came to
the knowledge of the Spaniards that half-caste Igorrote-Chinese in
the north of Luzon peacefully worked gold-deposits and traded in the
product. Therefore Francisco Carreno de Valdes, a military officer
commanding the Provinces of Pangasinan and Ilocos, obtaine