CHAP. X.
MIDDLE AGES.
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inhabitants fled away.” From the representa-tion he gives, it can scarcely be inferred thatthe mines were either productively or bene-ficially worked, “ though occasionally,” he says,“ there have been pieces of pure virgin goldfound, some of which I have seen in the electorof Saxony ’s repository; one piece as broad asthe palm of my hand, and others less ; but suchare very rare V’
M. Jars, who visited the mines of Hungary about eighty years ago, says that in ancienttimes they were managed by companies, whowere successively compelled to abandon them,on account of the wars, pestilence, and faminewith which they were afflicted, by which theywere prevented from advancing the necessarysupplies of money. As these companies actedunder grants from the crown, when they couldno longer continue the working, the grants wereresumed; but as the government determined toconduct the works, they allowed to the formergrantees five shares out of each hundred andtwenty-eight, upon which plan they were car-ried on when M. Jars inspected the mines.
Some of these mines he represents as rich inauriferous ore, each quintal of it yielding onehundred ounces of silver, and some gold, andalso mercury, in the form of cinnabar.
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