SILVER. 



LIB. iv. 1 the wind did commonly blow, and with wood and cole made 

 r their refining, the which furnaces in Peru they call huayras. 

 Since the Spaniards entred, besides this manner of refining 

 which they vse to this day, they likewise refine silver with 

 qvick-silver, and draw more by this means then in refining 

 it by fire. For there is some kind of silver mettall found 

 which can by no means be purged and refined by fire, but 

 onely with quicksilver. But this kind of mettall is com 

 monly poore arid weake, the which vsually they finde in 

 greatest aboundance. They call that poore which yields least 

 silver and great quantitie of other mettall, and that rich which 

 yieldes most silver. It is strange to see not onely the differ 

 ence betwixt the refining of mettall by fire, and without it 

 by quicke-silver, but also that some of these mettalles, 

 which are refined by the fire can not well be molten with 

 5 any artificiall winde as with bellows, but when it is kindled 

 and blowen with the naturall ayre or naturall winde. The 

 metall of the mines of Porco is easily refined with bellowes, 

 I and that of the mines of Potosi cannot be molten with 

 ! bellowes, but only by the breath of their liuayras, which are 

 small furnaces vpon the sides of the mountaines, built ex 

 pressly where the. winde lies, within the which they melt 

 this metall ; and though it be hard to yielde a reason for this 

 difference, yet is it most certaine and approoved by long 

 experience ; so as the greedie desire of this mettall, so much 

 valued amongst men, hath made them seek out a thousand 

 gentle inventions and devises, whereof wee will hereafter 

 make mention. The chiefe places of the Indies from 

 whence they draw silver are New Spaine, and Peru; but the 

 mines of Peru farre surpasse the rest ; and amongst all 

 others of the worlde, those of Potosi, whereof wee will 

 intreate a little at leasure, being the most famous and re- 

 markeable things at the Indies. 



