The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-03-24
The Gold Mines Of New Mexico.


zeal Observations in New Mexico:
In company with Mr.. Dallum, we started
this morning ON a tour Of exploration; one
quarter Of mile higher up the raviue, we
entered another little town our way was
on all sides full Of holes, and sometimes
deep wells, that had been sunk in search Of
the precious metal
/ We saw many miserable wretchcs, cloth
ed in rags, with an Old piece Of iron 10 dig
the earth, and some gourdS, or horns Of the
mountain goat, TO wash the sand; they sit
all day at work, and at evening repair to
some ''uenda" or store, where they cX-
change their gold for bread and meat.
/ We now reached the house Of a French
man who seemed TO be most extensively
engaged in mining: he had three mills.
and one was then at work. This mill,
n specimen OF all others, was Of rather rude
construction II consisted Of circular nit
ten feet in diametar. and about eight inches
deep, the sides and bottom lined with fat
slabs Of stone. In the centre of this pit an
axis was erected, from which three beams
projected horizontally; TO the longest arm
a burro was attached; 10 the other, large
blocks Of stone were attached with cords.
So that their Fat surfaces were dragged over
/ the bottom Of the pit.
| The ore, that is here found in quart2oso
rock, is broken into small pieces and thrown
into the pit; water is also poured in. and
| donkey holds his monotonouS round the
/ mixture now attNinS the consistency of thin
mud a couple of ounces of quicksilver is
| thrown in-thiS forms an amalgam with the
goId-and when the pit is cleared from the
] tg.t, l.
the crcviceS between the stone slabs
| it is tied up in piece Of rag or bnck>kin.
thrown into a crucible, and the mercury
sublimcd.
! Around this mill we find ore Of rcmarka-
Die purity. which is dug with the gold.
The proprietor Of this mine very gencr-
ouSly gave us as many specimens of the
ore as we wished. The goldexistS in small
particles visible to the eye, scattered through
the quartzoSo rock.
We now assembled TO the mines here We
found deep wellS-thcy are a>cendcd and
descended by the means of notohed pine
trees that extend diagunally across. pro-
cured a specimen from a vein that had lust
been struck these pieces had smoky ap-
pearaucc a. if produced by the fame of a
candle but the stain is iudchblc. The noun
tain sides were scattered with fragments of
granite aud rock containing gold. Weuow
returned to the house Of oar entertainer.
who refuses 10 receive any remuneration
for the trouble we had cost him-and who
gave many specimens Of the ore. Iiav-
I lnc taken orr leave, and cnJuired orr route
to the new mine or "Iuertu" rs it is gen
orally called suppose from the crooked
stream that runs ncar--we set out on diff
hcu.t path across the mountains. WeUaSS-
ed mp steep ravinc, so steep that the roll
ing stones had worked n straight road that
look ed aS il timber had been dragged down
the hill side. AS our mules Climcd no. the
loose stones came Gathering down--we soon
reached the summit and commenced the
descent; here we saw much dark blue
! limestone. some in fact almost black. On
the road we met Senior Don Jose Chari2, Of
, PddiIlds; he was going to the same place
whittier we were bound. We soon entered
the valley that separates the two ranges Of
mountains, in which the gold mines are To-
Gated.
From this place we had fine view Of
the mountains and one is struck with ar
engagements Of the lines. they being nearly
straight, and running Up pyramidicaIv.
u.
Nier ride of eight miles we reached thc
village Of Iuerto. aud cnqnrcd our way TO
the house of Mr.. Richard Campbell. where
we were kindly received and most hoSpita-
bly, treated. He showed us some fine >pe.
cimenS OF native gold, that had been found
IN the ncchboring valleys. and were scat
tered through the detritcS that is formed bv
the crumbling down Of the auriierouS rocks
ot the monnta!n-One specimen was worth
tifieciI dollars.
In the evening. we visited a town AT the
! base of the principal mountain. Here. min
gled with the houses were large mounds of
earth thrown out from the wells. so that the
village looked like village Of gigantic
prairie dogs. Nearly all the people there
were at their wells, and were drawing M
loose bags of sand by the means oGwindlaSS.
cS. Around little pools, men. women and
children were grouped. iutcntly porting over
these bags of sand. washing the earth in
wooden plattcrS or great horns. One can.
not but feel pity for these miserable wretch
eS and congratulate himself that he does
not possess a gold mine-cven the life of
the poor paStores is much preferable TO that
of these dggerS of gold.
Tuerto contains about go inhabitants. II
is situated in ravne, that Just furnishes
sufficient water for this place and the town
at the base of the mountains, which is one
and half miles distant, Some of the pco-
pie own large tlockS Of sheep, which they
keep in the valley of the PecoS.
We started on the LIST instant. to examine
the mines OF the new places. Mr. Camp
bell kindly furnished us mules ia order that
ours might have an opportunity to rest and
to gra2c. We first visited lead mine stu
atcd near the road that run to ST. Antonio;
1t Is IN direction nearly south, situated at
the foot of the mountains, and everything a
bed OF tosSiliierouS lime stone. We col
lected specimens of the lead ore and the
lime stone, then proceeded oaStwardly com.
mcnced ascending the mountain. Our course
now changed towards the north-near the
summit of the mountain we visited large
copper mine. Mr.. Campbell proceeded TO
enter with great caution, and told us
that he feared least some evil disposed Mex
lean should be lurking in these caverns.
for there were many discontinued spirits a.
bout the country trying TO revolutonizo the
people, and some were said TO dwell in these
mines and caverns.
We found beautiful specimens Of ore of
copper of various kinds. Mr.. Campbell
ground up some with the aid of n couplc