48

EARLY COLLECTION OF GOLD chap. xvii.

adopt an estimation in the particular period some-what below that of Humboldt in the latter years,but not more varying than seems justified by theaccounts of Herrera and others respecting theoperations of various early adventurers.

It is to be observed that, up to the invasion ofMexico, gold alone had been found in America ,or, if any silver had been procured, it must havebeen in such small portions as not to be thoughtworthy of mention by any of the narrators of theevents of the period.

Cortez commenced his invasion of Mexico in1519, and a great portion of the precious metalswhich had been collected in that country duringthe period of the existing government fell intohis power. At his advance towards the capital,the presents he received at Chaleo are stated byhimself to have amounted to 2560 marcs of gold,or nearly 70,000/. sterling. Montezuma, on takingthe oath of fidelity to the Emperor of Spain , wasprevailed upon to pay a tribute which, calculatingfrom the fifth part paid into the chest of the army,must have amounted to near 65,000/. At the cap-ture of Tenochtitlan , the plunder which fell intothe hands of the Spaniards is stated by BernalDiaz to have been equivalent to 80,000/. Theseinstances of mineral wealth found by Cortez andhis followers show that the Mexicans must havemade some progress in mining operations beforetheir country was visited by Europeans; and though