CHAP. XXV.

COLUMBIA.

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industry yields rich returns; and on good au-thority we are assured that, “ Lands which wereformerly only occupied for the purpose of goldwashing, have been converted into the rich fieldsof Rio Negro , Medillin, and Antoquia, wherescarcely any persons now occupy themselves withgold washing.” The river washing is at presentthe most extensively practised. The sand at thebottom of the rivers abounds in particles of goldand platina; but this labour is attended withlittle profit. It is carried on by an indolentmixed race of independent peasants, who havefew wants, and who, by some exertion and oc-casional success, gain sufficient to subsist on veryscanty resources. According to the reports whichare entitled to most credit, the chief supply ofgold has been derived from this kind of labour,but the representations of its quantity are liable tomuch exaggeration ; and the accounts transmittedto Europe having been mostly written under theexcitement of the temporary mining mania whichprevailed a few years ago, should be received withgreat doubt, and believed with great hesitation.

We know, generally, that gold and silver inColumbia, as in other parts of South America ,only circulate when converted into coin; that theinterest of money in the form of coin is very high,according to several accounts from one to two percent, per month with the best security, and that

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