448 A VOYAGE TO Book Vt 



a benign climate, but destitute of mines, or forgot- 

 ten through neglect, are looked upon ns poor: and 

 indeed, except in the plentiful surface of the earth, 

 make no wealthy appearance. This is the case here; 

 and the reasonof itis evident: those countries are as 

 staples for silver and gold, which are taken from the 

 bowels of the earth only to be sent into distant na- 

 tions with all possible diligence, their native country 

 being that where they make the least stay : and the 

 same practice is observed to be carried on, no less 

 eagerly, throughout every town and village in the 

 Indies : for, as they cannot well do without European 

 goods, the gold and silver of America nmst be paid 

 in exchange for them. 



In a province where no mines are worked, the 

 fertility of the soil, and goodness of its products are 

 neglected ; for the scarcity of money reduces them 

 to such a low price, that the husbandman, for want! 

 of an incentive to any assiduous industry, instead of 

 sowing and planting all he could, consults only what 

 he may vend according to the common consumption, 

 besides what is necessary for the support of his family. 

 AmcI as the whole return of what he receives for his 

 fruits and grain, even when he is so fortunate as to 

 export any, goes away again in exchange for European 

 goods, the scarcity of money still continues, and he 

 is so poor as sometimes possibly to want even ne- 

 cessaries. It is otherwiie in provinces abounding with 

 mines ; for these being the objects of the attention 

 and labours of its inhabitants, there is a continual cir- 

 culation of money. What is carried out, is replaced 

 by that draAvn from the mines. Nor are they even in 

 want of European goods, or the produce of the 

 more fertile countries, plenty of traders from all parts 

 resorting to places near the mines, as the original 

 seats of gold and silver. But that province where the 

 richness of the mines and of the soil concenter, is 

 doubtless preferable to those where nature has giveii 



only 



