WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 49I 



the E. it has many heathen Indians to he converted to tlie Faith. 

 Ahiiost W. of this province, across the rolh'ng plains, lies the Province 

 of Cajatauiho, which has a large population and much cattle, with 

 a few woolen mills where they make some grogram and blankets. 

 The province has an abundance of excellent cheap products ; it is 

 governed by a Corregidor appointed by the Viceroy. On the N. it is 

 bounded by the Province of Huailas. 



1370. The Province of Los Conchucos contains La Payasca, the 

 town on the boundary of the Diocese of Trujillo and Corregimiento 

 of Cajamarca ; Corongo, and other large villages. The whole province 

 is thickly settled. There are a few woolen mills in it, producing thin 

 and coarse cloth and grogram ; they turn out excellent stuff, for the 

 wool is very fine quality. The Viceroy appoints inspectors (admini- 

 stradores) for these mills, as he does for those of Quito and La 

 Payasca. This Province of Los Conchucos is fertile and prolific, and 

 is much cut up by mountain ranges. 



1371. In the jurisdiction of this province are the silver mines of 

 Siguas, with rich silver ore and mills in which it is ground and 

 refined. A range of the high snow-capped Cordillera runs N. and S. 

 through this region ; on its western incline is the lovely valley and 

 Province of Huailas, as will be stated in the following chapter ; on 

 the eastern slope of the Cordillera is the village of Piscobamba, which 

 is the capital of this Corregimiento, with many others lying in this 

 district. 



1372. Beyond Piscobamba is the Province and village of Huari, 

 which is under Dominican religious instruction, and the villages of 

 Yaquia, Huantar, and Chavin, where in the year 1616 I gave the 

 Indians an iron punch for cutting out the Host, with an inscription 

 in Hebrew characters. This whole country is very fertile and belongs 

 to the Corregidor whom the Viceroy appoints in the Province of 

 Conchucos. Near this village of Chavin there is a large building of 

 huge stone blocks very well wrought ; it was a guaca, and one of the 

 most famous of the heathen sanctuaries, like Rome or Jerusalem 

 with us ; the Indians used to come and make their offerings and 

 sacrifices, for the Devil pronounced many oracles for them here, and 

 so they repaired here from all over the kingdom. There are large 

 subterranean halls and apartments, and even accurate information 

 that they extend under the river which flows by the guaca or ancient 

 sanctuary. 



1373. They have information that in the guaca there is great 

 wealth and treasure in gold and silver and precious stones besides, 

 and many have tried to reach this treasure. By the just judgments 



