AUTICLES OF EXPORTATION. 475 by the mere labourers who at once conduct the ope- rative parts, and share the proceeds on terms of per- fect equahty. The large mines employ from 100 to ^00 men, including labourers and overseers, the smaller from 10 to 50. The economy of the large mines is chiefly worthy of notice. The mode of paying the labourers is by monthly wages, with a supply of food. An inexperienced labourer re- ceives for the first four months two Spanish dollars a month, for the second four months four dollars, and for the remainder of the year five. Ever after- wards he receives six, and if he has capacity and integrity to make an overseer eight dollars ; from the mode of making payment, as will be after- wards shewn, there is a real advance of 80 per cent, on these wages. In defiance of the climate the miners labour severely. They work about 12 hours a day, beginning their operations by break of day, or, if there be moonlight, earlier, not ceasing until half past six at night, and taking very little time to their meals. The mine is a longitudinal excavation following the course of the mineral stratum, and its breadth and depth necessarily depend upon the circum- stances of that stratum. The situation of the ore is, however, commonly very superficial, not usually above five or six feet from the soil. Forty feet is a common breadth for the stratum containing it, and of course for the mine, and 10 feet for its depth, making
