Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/362

346 It enjoyed no sort of celebrity until the beginning of this century, when it fell into the hands of the present proprietor, Don Antonio Revilla, who, after working it for some time in an obscure way, was fortunate enough, in 1803, to fall in with a Bonanza, or mass of rich ore, which enabled him to carry on his operations upon a larger scale. In 1811, from one part of the level, called "El Divino Pastor," he obtained, in seven weeks, a clear profit of 200,000 Dollars.

During the Revolution, Revilla suffered, as all other Mining proprietors did, and was forced to mortgage the large estates in the neighbourhood of Arroyo Sarco, which he had purchased during the time of his prosperity. Having no means of paying off this mortgage, or of recommencing his mining operations and repairing his Haciendas, he was glad to accept the proposals made to him by the German Company, which undertook to advance him 100,000 Dollars, and to take his stock at a valuation, on condition that he should-make over to them the entire management of the mine, and twelve Barras, or a Half-Proprietorship in it, for thirty years. The 100,000 Dollars advanced to Revilla in the first instance are to be deducted from his share of the profits, as is half the value of the stock on hand, which amounted to nearly as much more.

Upon these terms the Germans obtained possession of the mine, and there can be little doubt that it will prove a most lucrative speculation; for the