Ch, XIIÍ. south AMERICA 151 



or tarug-a, and the llama. It must, however, be 

 observed that these creatures are common to all tha 

 other provinces of Punas, that is, to those where the* 

 heaths and mountains are of such a height, as to render 

 the air continually cold. Here are also mines of gold, 

 but at present forsaken, though the remains of the old 

 works are still visible, particularly in one of the 

 mountains near Colcha, known by the name of 

 Abetanis, which in the Indian language signifies a 

 golden mine. That of St. Christopher de Acochala 

 was formerly one of the most famous in all Peru, for 

 the richness of its silver mines, the metal being in some 

 parts cut out with a chissel ; but now very greatly 

 declined ; which may in a great measure be imputed 

 to a want of people for working them: it being highly 

 probable that the same work would still produce near- 

 ly an equal quantity of that valuable metaL 



VI. The jurisdiction of Amparaes begins at a little 

 4istance to the eastward of the city of Plata, and is 

 terminated on the east by the jurisdictions belonging 

 to the diocess of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, particularly 

 on that of Misquepocona; and the corregidor of the 

 province of Ampaiaes has the cognizance of the In- 

 dian inhabitants of Plata. Its warm ps^rts abound in 

 grain, particularly barley, which together with the 

 numerous droves of cattle in the colder parts, consti- 

 tute the chief branches of its trade. 



VIII. North-west of Plata is the province of 

 Oruro, whose capital San Phelipe de Austria de Oruro 

 is 30 leagues distant from it. The greatest part of 

 this jurisdiction is so cold as to deny it any esculent 

 vegetables ; but on the other hand it feeds numerous 

 flocks and herds, besides great numbers of cattle pe- 

 culiar to the country, as vicunas, guanacos, and 

 llamas. Here are also many gold and silver mines ; 

 the former, though known even in the time of the 

 Yncas, have been seldom worked ; but those of silver 

 have yielded great riches to the inhabitants of tlie 



province 



