That  mining  paid,  and  paid  well,  in  Salvador  in
olden  days  is  proved  by  the  record  which  has  been  left
by  Mr.  R.  C.  Dunlop,  in  his  "  Travels  in  Central
America."  This  writer  tells  us  that  "five  leagues
north  of  San  Miguel  are  a  number  of  mines  of  silver  ;
among  them  is  one  called  La  Carolina,  which  was
worked  by  a  Spanish  empresario  about  thirty  years  ago
[Dunlop's  book  was  published  in  1847].  He  invested
his  own  property,  borrowed  $100,000  and,  after  getting
his  mine  into  order  in  less  than  six  months,  was  able  to
pay  his  obligations ;  and  although  he  died  before  the
end  of  the  year,  he  left  $70,000  in  gold  and  silver,  the
produce  of  the  mine.  After  his  death  the  ownership
was  disputed,  the  works  fell  into  ruins,  and  the  mine
became  filled  with  water.  The  mines  of  Tabanco


MINING  183

yield  more  silver  than  those  in  its  vicinity,  and  when
worked  yielded  upwards  of  $1,000,000  annually,
although  operated  in  a  rude  manner  without  machinery.
The  principal  one  yielded  $200,000  annually  to  the
proprietors."

I  fear  that  the  late  Mr.  Dunlop  somewhat  exag-
gerated the  value  of  these  mines ;  for  while  I  was  in
the  country,  and  in  the  particular  district  referred  to
by  the  author,  no  one  seemed  to  have  any  recollection
of  any  such  values  having  ever  been  obtained.
