Ch. IV. SOUTH AMERICA. 361 



judice its sale. Thus the fruits rot on the trees, or 

 are eaten by monkeys or other creatures. 



At the time of its first discovery, nnd the succeed- 

 ing conquest, this country was in great repute for 

 its riches ; and not undeservedly, vast quantities of 

 gold being brought from it. But these gains were 

 soon brought to a period by the revolt of the In- 

 dians, though in the opinion of many, who loek upon 

 those people to be a part of the human species no 

 less,than themselves, the insurrection wasowing to the 

 excessive rigour of the Spaniards, in making them 

 work in the mines under insupportable fatigues. At 

 present, all the gold collected here is by Indians wash- 

 ins; the sands of the rivers durin"; the time of the in- 

 to o 



undations ; and thus find gold dust, or small grains 

 of gold, with which they pay the tributes, and pur- 

 chase necessaries ; and they make so little account 

 of this metal, that, though by a proper industry they 

 might get a considerable quantity, it is only the 

 poorest Indians that live near the settlements who 

 practise it : as for the independent Indians, they give 

 themselves no concern about it. 



The jurisdiction of this government produces in 

 particular vast quantities of tobacco ; the cultivation 

 of it indeed is the chief occupation of all the inha- 

 bitants. After steeping the plant in hot meatl, or de- 

 coctions of fragrant herbs, in order to improve its 

 flavour, and the better to preserve its strength, it is 

 dried, and tied up in the form of a sau'ñsson, each of 

 a hundred leaves. Thus it is exported into Peru, all 

 over the province of Quito, and the kingdom of 

 Chili, where no other is used for smoking, in cornets 

 of paper, according to the custom of all these coun- 

 tries. This great vogue it owes to the manner of pre- 

 paring the leaves, which gives it a particular relish, 

 and a strength to its smoke, that is very agreeable to 

 those who are fond of that amusement. The country 

 also produces a great deal of cotton ; likewise large 



breeds 



