Miracles and Earthquakes.--The Saints in Times of Ignorance.--The Eruption of Jorullo.--The Curse of the Capuchins.--The Consequences of the Curse.--The unfulfilled Curse.--The Population of the Republic.--Depopulation from 1810 to 1840.--The Mixture of Whites and Indians not prolific.--The pure Indians.--The Meztizos.--The White Population.--Negroes and Zambos.--The Jew and the Law of Generation.--The same Law applies to Cattle.--It governs the Generation of Plants.--Intemperance and Generation.--Meztizo Plants short-lived.--Mexico can not be resuscitated.--She can not recover her Northern Provinces 304 CHAPTER XXVIII. The Church of Mexico.--Its present Condition and Power.--The Number of the "Religios."--The Wealth of the Church.--The Money-power of the Church.--The Power of Assassination.--Educating the People robs the Priest.--Making and adoring Images.--The Progress downward 319 CHAPTER XXIX. Causes that have diminished the Religios--The Provincials and Superiors of Convents.--The perfect Organization.--The Monks.--San Franciscans.--Dominicans.--Carmelites.--The well-reputed Orders.--The Jesuits.--The Nuns.--How Novices are procured.--Contrasted with a Quaker Prison.--The poor deluded Nun.--A good old Quaker Woman not a Saint.--Protestantism felt in Mexico 330 CHAPTER XXX. The Necessity of large Capitals in Mexico.--The Finances and Revenue.--The impoverished Creditors of the State.--Princely Wealth of Individuals 348 CHAPTER XXXI. Visit to Pachuca and Real del Monte.--Otumba and Tulanzingo.--The grand Canal of Huehuetoca.--The Silver Mines of Pachuca.--Hakal Silver Mines.--Real del Monte Mines.--The Anglo-Mexican Mining Fever.--My Equipment to descend a Mine.--The great Steam-pump.--Descending the great Shaft.--Galleries and Veins of Ore.--Among the Miners one thousand Feet under Ground.--The Barrel Process of refining Silver.--Another refining Establishment 352 CHAPTER XXXII. A Visit to the Refining-mills.--The Falls and basaltic Columns of Regla.--How a Title is acquired to Silver Mines.--The Story of Peter Terreros, Count of Regla.--The most successful of Miners.--Silver obtained by fusing the Ore.--Silver "benefited" upon the Patio.--The Tester of the Patio.--The chemical Processes employed.--The Heirs of the Count of Regla.--The Ruin caused by Civil War.--The History of the English Company 362 CHAPTER XXXIII. Toluca.--Queretaro, Guanajuato, and Zacatecas.--Fresnillo.--"Romancing."--A lucky Priest.--San Luis Potosi.--The Valenciana at Guanajuato.--Under-mining.--A Name of Blasphemy.--The Los Rayas.--Immense Sums taken from Los Rayas.--Warlike Indians in Zacatecas. 372 CHAPTER XXXIV.