Ch.XIIÍ. SOUTH AMERICA. 147 



laid liold of a small shrub in order to climb it 

 with the greater celerity ; but the shrub being un- 

 able to support his weight came up by the roots, 

 and discovered a mass of fine silver^ and at the same 

 time he found some lumps of the same metal among 

 the clodsj which adhered to the roots. This In- 

 dian, who lived at Porco^ hastened home with these 

 first fruits of his discovery, washed the silver and 

 made use of it, repairing when his stock was near ex- 

 hausted, to this perpetual fund. At length an inti- 

 mate friend of his called Guanea, observing such a 

 happy change in his circumstances, was desirous of 

 knowing the cause, and urged his questions with á 

 warmth that Gualca was unable to deny. For 

 some time they retired in concert to the mountain 

 for fresh supplies of silver, till Gualca refusing to 

 discover his method of purifying the metal. Gu- 

 anea revealed the whole secret to his master Villar- 

 roel, a Spaniard who lived at Porco. Immediately 

 on this information he went on the 21st of April, 

 1545, to view this fortunate breach in the mountain, 

 and the mine was without delay worked, with im- 

 mense advantage. 



This first mine was called the Discoverer, as 

 having been the occasion of discovering other sources 

 of riches inclosed in the bowels of this moun- 

 tain ; for in a few days another was found equally 

 rich, and called the Tin-mine ; since that another 

 has been discovered, and distinguished by the name 

 of Rica, as surpassing all the rest: and was suc- 

 ceeded by the Mendieta. These are the principal 

 mines of Potosi, but there are several smaller 

 crossing the mountain on all sides. The situation 

 of the former of these mines is on the north side 

 of the mountain, their direction being to the south, 

 a little inclining to the west ; and it is the opinion of 

 the most intelligent miners in this country, that those 

 which run in these directions are the richest. 



L 2 On 



