Quicksilver. 19.  On the fifth of the same month of May three libras of quicksilver were incorporated with three quintals of ore from the first hole and mouth opened near our fort, as above stated.  On the twelfth of the said month it was washed, and a grain of gold weighing scarcely one real obtained.  Two onzas of quicksilver were lost.

Quicksilver. 20.  Saturday, May eleven, one-half libra of quicksilver was incorporated with two arrobas of ore obtained from an enclosure found at one-half legua’s distance from our fort and the new mine, on the edge of a river.  It was washed on the sixteenth of the said month, but nothing was found in it.  One and one-half onzas of quicksilver were lost.

Quicksilver. 21.  On the fourteenth of the said month one libra of quicksilver was incorporated with one quintal of ore obtained from a passage which was discovered to have been worked by the Ygolotes in the same vein and new mine, in its western part of which mention has been made.  The said vein extends to the southwest.  The mixture was washed on the eighteenth of the said month, and a small grain of gold, weighing one-half real, was obtained.  One-half onza of quicksilver was lost.

Quicksilver. 22.  On Thursday, May nine, three libras of quicksilver were incorporated with three quintals of ore obtained from the first hole and vein of the new mine, of which mention has been made.  May nineteen it was washed, and a small grain of gold, of one-third real weight, obtained.  Twelve onzas of quicksilver were lost.

Smelting. 23.  Monday, the twentieth of the said month, another assay was made by fusing one quintal of litharge [61] and two of ore obtained from the said hole and vein preceding.  From the said mixture, although they tried it several times, it was impossible to fuse or melt the said ore.  On the contrary, there was a loss of the lead consumed with the said litharge, and the mixture continued to be consumed; so that having been exhausted and the oven having become clogged, it was necessary to stop without succeeding with the said assay.  They attributed that to the said ore being unfit for smelting.

Quicksilver. 24.  Thursday, May twenty, two libras of quicksilver were incorporated with one and one-half quintals of ore obtained from a depth of fourteen estados in the said vein and hole which was opened as above stated.  On the twenty-fifth of the said month it was washed, and a small grain of gold, weighing one-half real, was obtained.  Two onzas of quicksilver were lost.

Smelting. 25.  Sunday, May twenty-six, a second assay by smelting was made with three quintals of litharge and one of tesmiquitate, [62] refined; both were fluxed with three quintals of ore obtained from the second hole or passage above mentioned as being near the level of the streamlet in the said vein and new mine.  That was a second and different compound and was made by smelting and with the said flux; but they were unable to fuse the ore, although many efforts were exerted.  It was useless because of the poor quality that the miners ascribed to the said ore.  Finding that there was considerable loss and waste of the lead, they had to desist.