therein, or any emolument therefrom, except what might
have arifen to fome few individuals for manual labour in
the mine, but now it is entirely worked by Spaniards,
and produces excellent copper. A very curious plate of
copper was difcovered by the workmen in this mine, on
the 31ft of July, 1762, three feet long, and two broad,
which was found buried ninety feet under ground, and
has the following Roman infcription.
i IMP . N E R V A E . ' C A E S A R I . A VG.
; P O N T I F I . M A X IM O . T R . . .
O T E S T , PP. COS. III.
. G. IIII. P U D E N S A VG . LIB.
. . . P R O C U R A T O R
10. P O S V I T .
The river Tinto is equally one o f the great curioiities
o f this place. It rifes in Sierra Morena, and empties it-
felf into the Mediterranean near Huelva* having the
name of Tinto given it from the tinge of its waters, which
are as yellow as a topaz, hardening the fand and petrifying
it in a moil furprizing manner. I f a Hone happens
to fall in and reft upon another, they both become in a
year’s time perfectly united and conglutiriated. This
river withers all the plants on its banks, as well as the
roots o f trees, which it dyes of the fame hue as its waters,:
no kind of verdure will come up where it reaches * nor any
fiih live in its ftream, it kills worms in cattle when given'
them to drink, but in general no animals will drink outof
o f this river, except goats, whofe fleih neverthelefs has
an excellent flavour. Thefe.lingular properties continue
till other rivulets run into it and alter its nature, for
when it paffes by Niebla, it is not different from other
rivers, and falls into the Mediterranean fix leagues lower
down at the town o f Huelva, where it is two leagues,
broad, and admits of large veffels which may come up.
the river as high as San yuan del Puerto three leagues
above Huelva» This country is remarkable for feveral
events which make a confiderable. figure in the hiftory o f
Spain. In the firft place, Huelva is faid.by fome writers
to have been the place o f nativity of Juan Sanchez de;
Huelva, the perfon who is fuppofed to have failed from
the Canaries, and to have been driven by tempeftuous
weather on the coaft of America, and after being out
feventeen days, was forced back to the Canaries, where
meeting with; Columbus, was hofpitably entertained by
him, and dying foon after of fatigue, communicated
his difcoveries, by which means thatgreat navigator, was
further confirmed in his opinions about the new. world,,
and encouraged to purfue them («). The writer who relates
this event fays,»that while he was writing his book,,
(a) See Antiguedades de.-Sevilla por Rodrigo Caro. Sevilla, 1634^ who ddes not tell us<
on . what authority he relates this event o f Juan Sanchen de Huelva, which would have:
been an .anecdote o f fome curioiity; for want of which we may join with Dr. Robertfon,.
who fays, that the name of the pilot is alike unknown as well as that o f the port in which:
this fuppofed perfonage landed on his return. Dr. Robertfon’s hifiory of America. Vol..
;I. Note iy .
R r a whale;