Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-25
NATIONAL INTELLIGENC GER.
NoTEs on THE ANpEs-cosrIsrED.


eight thousand and is situated in deep rsvne amidst
cluster Of lofty peaks is the capital OF the depart
ment, and was named by the Incas. The rayine runs
east and west with an average width Of one mile
small stream flows through it to the east.
Tho town is divided into two parishes, counts six
churches hospital and college for young men, in which
physics, chemistry, and mineralogy are taught The
plaza Il adorned with fountain of stone; cathedral
stands by the side Of the Mountain Of Cnnabar which
contains the celebrated quicksilver mine Of Santa Bar
bara Climbing up this mountain We came to door
way fifteen feet high and twelve wde carved in the sand
stone The entrance the southwest side peak
like railroad tunnel The eternal glaciers at this door
way cces hung head and sheets of ice spread
der feet sootyfaced roughookng Indians rundled
wheelbarrows loaded with quicksilver As the adj
.nistrador, tall smallpox marked Mestzo said to me,
We all ready sir to escort you through the mines of
Huancayelica, felt though he going to say to
be buried alive We entered this dark hole about six hum
dred feet below the top of the mountain AS we left day
light thought of home, then heard dreadful crash,
which the Meszo informed the upper part of the
mine falling in hollow sound was followedb splash
in the deep waters somewhere below; then sud-
denly strong smell Of suphure Of arsenic. little fur
Their pair Of eyes through the darkness called
to Richards to hold his torchght; we travelling
EN- T. by my compass The eyes belonged to q little In
dian boy Standing the side Of the nine with load of
ore his back, while passed. He had through
narrow passage called sTake off your horns" on his
hands aid knees and had raised choking dust After
refreshing ourselves at spring Of water OF SOC tepera
ture, we passed into plaza, where the market
sell to those who seldom leave the mines On
side the plaza by holding the torches heads
we SET beautiful bridge and beyond it stairway lead
ing into darkness the other side lake. the
opposite shore not in sight, though the sound of hammer
floats over its smooth water As we move along among
red columns which support the immense
haa6o inn Nv CID nf
the workman seated with his hammer and chsel cutting
away and honey combing the Andes The administrator
tells We are half way through If wish to climb up
stairs get the top Of the peak turn which
way we win we find road to travel told him to be
pleased to keep level possible He halted and
after words to the Indian guide he said he had taken
the wrong road and must 60 back some distance After
humping our heads and walking doubled up in most
tiresome position, with great want of fresh air. finally
stood up in the San Rosario church, which is rotundo
shaped with height of one hundred feet to the ceiling
Over the altar carved in solid cnnabar the Virgin
Mary with the infant in her As the Indians pass,
with hat in hand they turn and Keeling under their
heavy loads ore say short prayer cross themselves
and pass on by the light always burning OF the altar The
laborng Indian who seldom leaves these dark regions
attends when the church bells CALL and offers up prayer
for protection from the dangers Of the mine On Sun
day evening in this roundo he meets his countymen who
work the opposite side of the lake they tell Of seeing
daylight the point Of the chise far head instead
Of driving further towards the bowels Of the earth
After walk of two hours came into the fresh Dir
on the north side of the mountain The cinnabar
narrowly separated by layers Of that the peak
may almost be called solid of quicksilver ore At
present there hundred and twenty Indian men,
women, and boys employed in extracting the metal
Those who cut out the work much as they please
thatis they cut without compass This makes it dam
to those inside the proper supports being cut
by the ignorant Indian The is carried of both
sides Of the peak in bags of rawhde slung the
backs of the boys and then wheeled to the furnaces
by, where break it up into bits, while women make
Small cakes of the dust These laid in the bottom of
large iron CRATE sufficiently open to allow heat to pass
and over them the ore is filed in to the depth of three
feet. fire is made underneath of coarse mountain |
grass; strong draught carries the vapor from the Gin
nabar through retort of earthen pipes slipped into
the other to the distance Of five six feet where
denses and the quicksilver lodges the floor After the
ore becomes well heated which generally takes eight
ten hours the doors Of the furnace closed and for
three four hours the dislaton continues After this
the quicksilver is swept into pots, washed in water and
dried when it is ready for the market and is sold here
at dollar per pound 1t is sent off in oil directions
to the silver mines OF Peru
BY the rude method of mining and smelling the loss
mercury great The joints Of the earthen pipes are
uted with clay through which the vapor escapes before
it has time to cendense. II is difficult to regulate the
heat by the dry mountain grass which bazes up and
passes away in moment SO that the doors must De
open, a man constantly feeding the fire.
The mine is owned by the Government and leased to
company who keep secret its annual yield The labor
ers' wages more than fifty cents day. They
are supplied by the company with all they require from
the shop sort Of pursers store-room, altogether pro-
abe business for the company 1t often happens that
when the day Of reckoning the aborer is in debt
the books of his employer; he is then obliged to re-
turn to the mine and work.
Cinnabar is said be found the distance of ten leagues
in oil directions from Santa Barbara and that the lncas
knew of and made use OF it. Remains of small ovens
in the shape of retors have been discovered the In
dams used it to paint their faces
The only found of the annual yield Of this cee
brated mine from 1870 to 1870. During this two
hundred and twenty years Santa Barbara produced
Icl ofo uicR mr. an
average Of AT 294 pounds per The price during
this period varied from fifty to hundred dollars per
quinta according to the tariff Of prices fixed by the
Spanish Crown
Huancaveica is on the inland route between Lima and
Cuzco distant from the former seventy leagues
This although not the shortest distance the coast
yet the best road the present day leading to the best
seaport. OF this immense of cinnabar not pound
is exported England finds market for other quicksil
in the silver mines Of Peru carredin iron jars around
Cape Horn great expense it is transported the
backs Of mules almost the very mouth of Santa Bar
bara. The roads very narrow and rough. II would
their present condition. piano was brought from
Lima to Huancayclica and remains cracked to this me
though the house containing it is the centre of gaety
and attraction. The expects the music Of the
" Last Rose of Summer by the next train of mules
Cargoes arrive from Lima in ten days; mail boxes on
muc travel the distance in six days. To Ica fifty leagues
cargoes take eight days.
There are no Foreigners in Huancaveca Creole fam-
lies few and the Indian population very poor No
vegetable productions raised in this cold ravine the
inhabitants generally keep in DOORS Almost all the Span
Creoes have been in Lima visits educated there
and possess gay agreeable manner and make the cold
1~oa~u hoxn Erno