Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/338

322 Of the former produce of the district of Tlălpŭjāhuă nothing certain is known. The great Cŏrōnăs vein was discovered at a very early period, and has been worked, with occasional intermissions, for upwards of two hundred years. The Cañada which bears La Borde's name, and to which he was indebted for his first fortune, was only discovered in 1743: there are no returns of the Silver raised from it during the great Bonanza, which gave it celebrity; but in stating it at twelve millions of dollars, in the eight years, during which the mines were worked, I take only half the estimate which is usually formed in Mexico of its amount. Tlălpŭjāhuă lost much of its importance upon La Borde's removal to Tāscŏ, but the mines of the district were worked without interruption until the commencement of the Civil War, at which time, according to a Statistical account of the State of Valladolid published in 1822, by Don Juan, José, Martinez de Lizarra, from eighteen to twenty thousand dollars were expended weekly in the purchase of ores, and in the payment of the mining labourers.

In 1824, it has likewise been ascertained, that Ores to the amount of 100,000 dollars, were raised by the Buscones (Searchers); and in 1825, before .