os,
already mentioned. This town is in a deep ravine. The climate is, like
that of the California gulches, intensely hot, but remarkably healthy.
Here the _lodes_ of silver ore are almost innumerable,[80] with crests
elevated above the ground. The mine of _El Carmen_, in the times of the
vice-kings, produced so immensely that its proprietor was ennobled,
with the title of Marquis of Bustamente. This was the beginning of the
family of Bustamente. A piece of pure silver was found here weighing
four hundred and twenty-five pounds. I should like to continue in
detail to enumerate the rich surface mines in the southern portions of
these two States, but, lest I should weary my reader, I must omit them,
and refer those who wish to learn more to the translations from the
last official reports of the _Mineria_, entitled Chihuahua and Sonora,
which are embodied in the Appendix.

"The 'Good Success Mine' (_Bueno Successo_) was discovered by an
Indian, who swam across the river after a great flood. On arriving at
the other side, he found the crest of an immense _lode_ laid bare by
the force of the water. The greater part of this was pure massive
silver, sparkling in the rays of the sun. The whole town of Batopilos
went to gaze at the extraordinary sight as soon as the river was
fordable. This Indian extracted great wealth from his mine, but, on
coming to the depth of three Spanish yards (_varas_), the abundance of
water obliged him to abandon it, and no attempts have since been made
to resume the working. When the silver is not found in solid masses,
which requires to be cut with the chisel, it is generally finely
sprinkled through the _lode_, and often serves to nail together the
particles of stone through which it is disseminated."[81]--"The ores of
the _Pastiano_ mine, near the _Carmen_, were so rich that the _lode_
was worked by bars, with a point at one end and a chisel at the other,
for cutting out the silver. The owner of the Pastiano used to bring the
ores from the mine with flags flying, and the mules adorned with cloths
of all colors. The same man received a reproof from the Bishop of
Durango when he visited Batopilos for placing bars of silver from the
door of his house to the great hall (_sala_) for the bishop to walk
upon."[82]

The next mine of interest in our progress northward is the _Morelos_,
"which was discovered in 1826 by two brothers named Aranco. These two
Indian _peons_ were so poor that, the night before