I have actually seen mules carrying to the coast, for transportation to England, a cargo of such cinders.
But the first case is much the most curious.

The Chilian miners were so convinced that copper pyrites contained not a particle of copper, that they laughed at the Englishmen for their ignorance, who laughed in turn, and bought their richest veins for a few dollars.

It is very odd that, in a country where mining had been extensively carried on for many years, so simple a process as gently roasting the ore to expel the sulphur previous to smelting it, had never been discovered.

A few improvements have likewise been introduced in some of the simple machinery; but even to the present day, water is removed from some mines by men carrying it up the shaft in leathern bags! (PLATE 62.

CHILIAN MINER.) The labouring men work very hard.