Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/647

Rh ninety-five "campos" (pairs) of barreteros (common miners) were in daily employ; and the number of "cargas" of ore reduced varied from fifteen hundred to two thousand in the week, which yielded, upon an average, thirty-five or thirty-six ounces of silver per "monton," of twenty quintals. Within a short time after my visit, Captain Vetch succeeded in carrying all his plans into execution, and in June and July, 1827, a weekly profit of 3,000 dollars was the result.

The Bolaños Company possesses a magnificent Hacienda, (La Saūcĕdă,) built by La Borde, and purchased by the Fagoagas of his family, when the mine of San Acasio was abandoned. It contains seventy-four ărrāstrĕs (called in Zacatecas, tăhōnăs), with furnaces for smelting, a very perfect lavadero, (assemblage of washing vats,) and a patio (amalgamation court,) capable of containing twenty-four "tortas," of sixty "montones" each. The process is conducted nearly in the same manner as at Guanajuato, with the exception of the "molienda" (the process of grinding), which is more rapid, and less fine; each "tahoana" in Zacatecas grinding ten arrobas of ore in sixteen hours, in lieu of six arrobas in twenty-four hours, which is the maximum at Guanajuato.

There are seven "morteros" (stamps) at La Sauceda, it being calculated that one mortero will keep twelve arrastres in constant work. Salt and măgĭstrāl are abundant and cheap. The latter is brought