WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 621 



It has many villages and valleys in its district such as the villages 

 of Ulaba, Chaqui, Puna, and others, and the valleys of Mataca, 

 where they get much wheat, corn, and wine ; and the Orincota Valley, 

 its boundary against the Province of Tomina. They get over 200,000 

 jugs of wine in that valley, and make quantities of sugar. On the S. 

 it is bounded by the Province of Los Lipes, and on the E., by the 

 imperial town of Potosi. 



1646. The Orincota Valley of the Corregimiento of the town of 

 Porco adjoins the valleys of Pilaya and Paspaya ; these contain two 

 villages of Spaniards and extensive vineyards ; the Viceroy appoints 

 a Corregidor here for the dispensing of justice. Eight leagues up 

 the Paspaya Valley, the Jesuit Fathers own some large establishments 

 with vineyards and wheat and corn fields ; they raise quantities of 

 corn and get over 8,000 jugs of wine, and have large herds of cattle. 

 At this point these valleys border on the Corregimiento of Tarija 

 and Chichas. 



Chapter VIII 



Of the Rich and Famous Potosi Range, and When It was Dis- 

 covered. 



1647. The famous Potosi range, so celebrated all over the world 

 for the great wealth which God has created unique in its bowels and 

 veins, lies in the Province of the Charcas, 18 leagues from the city 

 of Chuquisaca, which was later called La Plata, on account of the 

 great richness of this range. It is in the midst of the Cordillera, 

 and since that is high-altitude country, that region is usually colder 

 than Germany, so much so that it was uninhabitable for the native 

 tribes. It is scant 20° S. ; on account of the cold, not a fly, mosquito, 

 or [any] other unpleasant creature can live there ; there was no living 

 thing on that waste but guanacos, vicufias, ostriches, and vizcachas, 

 which are characteristic of that cold country. 



1648. The Cordillera, at the point where the Potosi range stands, is 

 bare and treeless, with occasional plains, which in that country they 

 call pampas; but there are a few ranges in the region, [7] 5 leagues 

 to the E. of the old Porco mines. The outline of this rich hill is like 

 that of a pile of wheat or a sugar loaf, handsome and well propor- 

 tioned, standing up and lording it over the others, as if their prince. 

 It is almost deep red in color, and is over half a league high, the 

 ascent covering more than a league, with a steep grade but all 

 negotiable on horseback over the roads and paths which climb up it ; 

 at the top, it forms a round summit ; its circumference along the 



