244 PEJU-. 



Government for making till the coin, both gold and silver, 

 which gives an immense profit ; and as there must now be 

 coined six times as much as before, I must build new w r ater- 

 wheels to work the rolls which we toqk with us from England. 

 It was on this account that I wished to examine the watercourse 

 for this purpose, without the knowledge of Mr. Abadia or anyone 

 but Mr. Page and the interpreter, who always attends me. I 

 walked up and knocked, in my blunt way, at the nunnery court 

 door, without knowing there were any objections to admit men ; it 

 was opened by a female slave, to whom the interpreter told my 

 name and business. Very shortly three old abbesses made their 

 appearance, who said I could not be admitted. I told them I 

 came from England, for the purpose of making an addition to the 

 Mint, and could not do it without measuring the watercourse ; 

 upon which a council was held amongst them; very soon we 

 were ordered to walk in, and all further nunnery nonsense was 

 done away. We were taken round the building and were shown 

 their chapel and other places without reserve. 



" Uville knew nothing about the practical part of the engines, 

 and Bull very little, therefore you may judge what a wretched 

 state this great undertaking was in before my arrival; no one 

 put any confidence in it, and believed it was all lost, together 

 with .five hundred thousand dollars that had been expended on 

 it. The Lord Warden was sent from Pasco to offer me protection 

 and to welcome me to the mines. They have a court over the 

 mines and miners, the same as the Vice-Warden's Court in 

 England, only much more respected and powerful. The Viceroy 

 sent orders to the military at Pasco to attend to my call, and 

 told me he would send whatever troops I wished with me. The 

 Spanish Government and the Vice-king since my arrival are 

 quite satisfied that the mines will now be fully carried into 

 effect, and will do everything in their power to assist me. As 

 soon as the news of our arrival had reached Pasco, the bells rang, 

 and they were all alive down to the lowest labouring miner, 

 and several 'of the most noted men of property have arrived 

 here 150 miles. On this occasion the Lord Warden has pro- 

 posed erecting my statue in silver. On my arrival Mr. Uville 

 wrote me a letter from Pasco, expressing the great pleasure he 



