WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 493 



W. it borders on the plains and Casma. This province is over 20 

 leagues long ; at its narrowest point the valley is a league across, and 

 at its widest, 2 or 3 leagues. A large river with a powerful current 

 runs through it, passing out of it on the W. at the town and valley 

 of Santa. 



1377. The valley contains seven fine Indian villages, besides others 

 built on heights of side valleys. All those on the N. slope have a 

 delightful springlike climate ; Hatunhuailas, which means Big Huailas, 

 is the first ; its climate is temperate to cold ; then comes a small village ; 

 2 leagues farther on, Caras ; then Yungay, and 2 leagues beyond, 

 Caruas. Dominicans have these in charge ; Yungay is a priorate, and 

 the Prior's residence ; it is at the foot of a high snow-clad sierra 

 which has rich mines of low-grade gold ore containing silver. This 

 village is the residence of the Corregidor appointed by the Viceroy 

 for the proper administration of this province. These are one and 

 all of marvelous climate and great abundance of fruit, poultry, fish, 

 and everything necessary for human existence. 



1378. In the village of Caruas there are silver mines from which 

 great wealth has been derived, and still is. The village of Caruas 

 itself is 4 leagues up the valley and is the largest in it ; it has an 

 excellent situation and good streets, and is an encomienda of the 

 Conde de Lemos ; he has a good woolen mill there in which they 

 work up blankets, cloth, grogram, and other textiles. Besides this 

 there is another of the same sort belonging to Don Luis de Castilla, 

 and other mills in the other villages in the province. This village 

 has a cold climate ; there are two priests here to instruct the Indians 

 and administer the Holy Sacraments to them and to the Spaniards, 

 of whom there are many living among the Indians in all the valley 

 villages. 



1379. Four leagues S. is the village of Recuay ; this is very cold 

 and inclement ; they cannot raise fruit, corn, or wheat as is possible 

 in all the rest of the province, but only potatoes and quinua. They 

 possess large sheep and llama ranches and rich silver mines, all the 

 region being paved with this metal. When I was there there were 

 two establishments ; the ore averaged 4 marks to the quintal, which 

 means great wealth. Outside the villages the whole province is cov- 

 ered with ranches and farms. This province falls within the district 

 of Leon de Huanuco, which is petitioning for a Bishop ; at present 

 it all belongs to the Archdiocese of Lima, which extends 140 leagues 

 N. and S. over the plains, from Santa to the Nasca Valley, where it 

 borders on the Diocese of Arequipa at the Acari Valley which belongs 

 to this diocese, as will be told in the following chapter. 



