Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/372

356 enterprize was entrusted. The German Directors, two of whom accompanied me from Chico to Real del Monte, were astonished at the size of the boilers, and other pieces of machinery, which had been brought up from the coast, and confessed that they should neither have regarded the attempt as practicable, nor would have undertaken it themselves on any terms.

I was happy to find that these gentlemen, to whose opinion as miners, from what they have done themselves, I should be inclined to attach great weight, were highly gratified with all that they saw at Real del Monte, and expressed, in the warmest manner, their approbation of the system pursued there.

They were particularly struck with the plans for the new Adit, which is, indeed, a stupendous undertaking. It is to commence 800 yards below the mouth of the old Adit at Moran, and must consequently be driven 3,607 yards before it enters the Biscaina vein at the Dolores shaft. In this space it will cut a number of small veins between Sanchez, Moran, and the Santa Brigida lode, the course of which it will then follow, at 140 varas below the level of the old Adit.

As the quality of the ores was not found to be at all deteriorated in the deepest workings of the old Count Regla, who was only prevented from carrying them farther by the difficulty of keeping down the water, there is every reason to hope that, from the