WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 639 



each mark 12 reals. Six of these should go to increase His Majesty's 

 Patrimony, and every mark should pay this additional sum ; and six 

 should go to benefit the miners. Assisted and encouraged in this 

 manner, not only will they themselves be cheered and the better 

 able to keep on and exploit the mines, and thus free themselves and 

 pay His Majesty the large sums due him, but many others will be 

 inspired to work large numbers of mines existing in those Kingdoms 

 but abandoned because of the heavy expense and absence of profit 

 they incur in working them. Thus it may well be, since at the present 

 moment many are abandoning mines and ceasing to exploit them, 

 and His Majesty loses the royal 20 percent and his revenues are 

 falling ofif, if His Majesty grants this, as lord of the silver harvest, 

 that his royal revenues will increase by many millions of ducats 

 to the benefit of his Royal Patrimony and of all the vassals in 

 his Kingdoms, and to the loss or disadvantage of foreigners, as 

 Capt. Thomas de Cardona, His Majesty's Chamberlain (Maestro 

 de la Camara), has been pointing out for many years; in fact, there 

 are many articles and treatises on this subject, from [1602] 1603 on, 

 which may be read and pondered ; I printed a memorial upon it in 

 the year 1623 ; and it is discussed and completely proved by Capt. 

 Pedro de Castro, a man of great experience in this specialty and 

 who has lived many years in Peru, and by others who have written 

 on this topic. The same proposal would apply to the pinas and other 

 forms of silver subject to the royal 20 percent impost, and would 

 strengthen this argument. This would put an end to many losses and 

 abuses, and would lead to universal benefit ; under the present system, 

 those who are engaged in working the mines and disemboweling the 

 earth to bring out metal from its center, are laboring without reward, 

 falling deeper into debt every day and unable to pay and reimburse 

 His Majesty and individuals the sums they owe. This brief summary 

 of this subject, on which much might be said, must suffice; I omit 

 further discussion, so as to remain within my project and continue 

 with the provinces and Corregimientos in this district. 



Chapter XVH 



Of the Province of Chayanta and Other Valleys and Provinces 

 in Amparaes. 



1676. Between the imperial town of Potosi and the city of La 

 Plata, at one side in the direction of the Chuquiabo highway or the 

 city of La Paz, lies the Province of Chayanta, 6 leagues from this 

 city of La Plata. This is very rich and well peopled by Indians with 



