Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/589

Rh Gavĭlānĕs, Gūārĭsămĕy, and Săn Dīmăs, lie nearly in the same parallel with the city of Victoria, but about five days' journey to the Westward, three of which are upon the Table-land, while during the remaining two the traveller toils on amidst the fastnesses of the Sierra Madre. The deep and narrow ravines in which Guarisamey is situated, are Tierra Caliente, while the mountains that shut them in attain the highest elevation of the Sierra Madre, which Mr. Glennie estimates at 9,000 feet. Gavĭlānĕs, on the contrary, stands upon a projecting platform, on the side of one of the mountains, not very far from the summit, and, when seen from a distance, appears more adapted for the abode of eagles, than for that of men. In this last district, the mines are all opened upon one lode, which in dimensions may almost vie with the Veta Madre of Guanajuato. It was discovered by its very elevated crest, which attracted the attention of the "Rumbeadores," (persons who search for metallic lodes,) and was found to produce very rich ores from the surface to the depth of sixty varas, where a kind of black ore was discovered which resisted all attempts to reduce it to advantage. By smelting, it yielded little or nothing, and by amalgamation, although the quantity of silver produced was very considerable, the loss of quicksilver was so great as to leave no profit. On the other hand, the vein, which at the surface was only one vara in width, increased gradually until, at the depth of seventy varas, it was