Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/467

 MEXICO. num ; so that the investment is by no means disproportioned to the extent and importance of the object in view. What I have stated, with regard to the three Companies already mentioned, is applicable to all the rest. The outlay of the United Mexican Company is distributed amongst the principal mines of most of the principal districts, in all of which the preliminary works have been brought nearly to a conclusion, Haciendas built, and the necessary preparations made at a very great expense, for carrying on operations upon a large scale. On the great mine of Ray as alone nearly 100,000/. have been expended. On the Veins of El Pavelldn, and La Veta Negra, at Sombrerete, at least an equal sum has been employed ; as much more has been sunk in the mines of San Acasio and San Bernabe, at Zacatecas ; but all these are undertakings of great pro- mise, and upon so large a scale, that success, in any one, would repay the outlay upon the whole in the course of a few years. At Tlalpujahua, the Company which bears that name is in possession of eighty-six mines, the very position of many of which, in 1825, it was difficult to ascertain, from the length of time which had elapsed since they had been abandoned ; none of these mines is upon a very large scale, but, from their being so numerous, a multiplicity of works have been required, all of which have been executed with the greatest activity and talent. These works extend over a surface of 21,260 yards, comprised in the 106i^ Pertinencias, which be- long to the Company. Thirty-nine mines were in work early in 1826; in addition to which three Haciendas had been built ; a large stock of mules and horses purchased for drain- age, (about 2000,) and such encouragement given to work- men, that, in lieu of 150 men, (no more could be obtained at first,) 2,300 labourers were in daily employment at the time of my last visit, (in January 1827,) by whose united efforts the appearance of the place had been entirely changed, and a