C II. XIV. SOUTH AMERICA. l61 



known from undoubted signs, that these mines were 

 worked in the time of tlie Yncas. Here are also mines 

 of talc, railed jaspas blancos de Veren*;'uela. It is of a 

 beautiful white^ and, on account of its transparency, is 

 transported to diiferent ])arts of Peru, for making 

 panes of windows, both in churches and houses; as 

 the stone called tecali serves for the same uses in 

 New Spain. In these mountains are also a <rreat num- 

 ber of mines ofo-emSj particularly one of emeralds, 

 well known in Eiuopc, but for some latent reasons 

 not worked ; tog>íther with quarries of different 

 ?;pecies of marble. In this province is the famous 

 silver mine called Vcrenguela : and likewise the 

 mountains of Santa Juana, Tampaja, and others, 

 well known for the immense treasures extracted from 

 them. 



IV. Adjacent to the territories of the jurisdiction 

 of la Paz, and to the north of that city, is the province 

 of Laricaxas, which extends 118 leagues from cast to 

 west, and about thirty from norih to south. The 

 temperature of the air is difíerent in different parts, 

 and some of its products are the same with those of 

 Carabaya, by which it is terminated to the northward. 

 This whole province abounds in gold mines, whose 

 metal is of so line a quality, that its standard is 

 iwentj-three caracts, and tlirec grains, in this pro- 

 vince is the celebrated mountain of Sunchuli, in M'hich 

 about fifty years since was discovered a gold mine 

 remarkabiy rich, and of the standard above-men- 

 tioned ; but when in its highest prosperity, it was un- 

 fortunately overflowed ; and nctsvithstanding prodi- 

 gious sums were expended in endeavours to drain it, 

 all the labour and expence, ironi the works being in- 

 judiciously conducted, were thrown away. 



V. The jurisdiction of Chncuito begins about 

 twenty leagues west of Paz, and some part of it bor- 

 dering on the lake of Titi-caca, that collection of 

 •paters is also called thclake of Chucuito. The extent 



Vol. 11 ' M uf 



