The marvellous country, or, Three years in Arizona and New Mexico.: Containing an authentic history of this wonderful country and its ancient civilization ... together with a full and complete history of the Apache tribe of Indians .../ By Samuel Woodworth Cozzens. Illustrated by more than one hundred engravings.

42 TESTIMONY OF MODERN WRITERS.
ever found in the world, and its actual existence seems to
admit of no question; for so well-authenticated is its history,
that the King himself gave to the country producing it the
name of Arizuma, or silver-bearing,, from which the Territory
has derived its present name- Arizona.
Humboldt says that, "Up to the beginning of the present
century, the quantity of silver taken from the American
mines has exceeded that of gold in the ratio of forty-six
to one." *
Other and more modern writers, in commenting upon the
vast quantity of treasure taken from these mines with the
rude implements of those early days, and the crude manner
then in vogue of assaying the ore, declare that fully one
half was lost or wasted in getting at the results there obtained,- statements that are verified by the richness of the
refuse slag left by the miners, thousands of tons of which
to-day are to be seen near all the old mines worked by the
Spaniards. Notwithstanding all these obstacles, we are told
that up to the beginning of the present century, more than
twelve million ounces had been paid as tribute to Spain, the
tribute being established at one real t in eight - no inconsiderable amount, if we calculate the loss, waste, and stealingsfor the Spaniards are adepts in this latter accomplishment
even to the present day - that necessarily followed the
honest production of this amount of revenue to His Most
* Political Essays of New Spain, Vol. 3. t 12i cents