WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES — VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 525 



Maranon and empties into the Atlantic. The valley is a league and 

 a half wide, or over. 



1434. In this excellent valley there are many farmhouses with 

 vineyards, gardens or chacras, and cattle ranches, since the region 

 is marvelously fertile and has excellent climate and weather. The 

 village of Huanta lies here ; it has a mixed Spanish and Indian popu- 

 lation, and is the residence of the Corregidor appointed for the 

 Province of Sangaro by the Viceroy. This village has an active trade 

 and is much frequented both for its fertility and good climate and 

 because it lies on the King's Highway from Lima and other provinces 

 to Cuzco, Potosi and all the upland country. In this valley and 

 village one finds abundance of all the Spanish and native varieties 

 of fruit mentioned, the whole year through, on account of its excellent 

 climate ; grapes begin ripening about New Year's. One league E. of 

 here is another Indian village with the same climatic conditions, 

 named Lorococha, and three leagues E., near the Andes, up in the 

 high cold sierra country, lie the mines of Hualla ; these have rich 

 veins of silver, but all those who work them are poor ; although the 

 ore is very rich, they cannot enrich themselves because there is 

 no one to provide them with aid and capital, and yet the ore is very 

 rich. In the jurisdiction of this Province and Corregimiento of 

 Sangaro there are many other Indian villages, like Julcamarca, 6 

 leagues WNW. of Huanta and near a mysterious hill of rock salt 

 which God created in that region ; one must give thanks to Him 

 in His Providence for this supply for all those provinces. There 

 are many other excellent valleys with many cattle ranches and corn, 

 wheat, and potato farms, with other products and cereals of excellent 

 quality. This account must suffice for the Corregimiento of Huanta 

 or Sangaro, and we shall go on to describe that of Vilcas. 



1435. Starting S. from Guamanga on the Cuzco highway, one 

 turns W. and travels 9 leagues most of the way through cold country 

 to the village of Putica in the Province of Vilcas, with a good climate. 

 From here it is half a league downhill to the village of Cangallo, 

 which has a hot climate and is plentifully supplied with meat, fish, 

 and Spanish and native farm products. This is the residence of the 

 Corregidor of these provinces, appointed by the Viceroy ; there is 

 a Royal Treasury here. Near this village runs a large river which 

 flows through the whole Province of Vilcas ; it rises in the Choc- 

 loccocha lakes by the Castrovirreina mines and its waters run two 

 of the ore mills at those mines ; then it traverses this province and 

 by its union with others becomes a mighty stream and swells the 

 great Rio Maranon, emptying into the Atlantic under the Line. 



