MINES OF POTOSI. 203 



There is yet another thing to be spoken of, to shew the LlB - Iv - 

 riches of Potosi, that the account which hath been made 

 was only of silver that was marked and customed. And it 

 is well knowne in Peru that they have long vsed silver in 

 these Eealmes which they call currant, which was neither 

 marked nor customed. And they holde it for certain which 

 know these mines, that in these daies the greatest parte of 

 silver drawne at Potosi was not customed, and this had 

 course amongst the Indians, and much amongst the 

 Spaniardes, as I have seene continued to my time ; so, as it 

 may appeare, the third part of the riches of Potosi, yea the 

 one halfe, came not to light, neither was it customed. There 

 is yet a more notable consideration, in that which Plinie 

 saith they hadde digged a fifteene hundred pases in this 

 mine of Bebelo, and, that continually they found water, 

 which is the greatest hinderaunce they have to drawe foorth 

 theyr mettall. But in this of Potosi, although they have 

 digged two hundred cstados or heights of a man in deapth, 

 yet did they never finde any water, which is the greatest 

 happinesse of this mountaine. But the mines of Porco, 

 whose mettall is good and very rich, are at this day left for 

 the discommoditie of water, which they have found in their 

 worke ; for they are two insupportable labours in searching 

 of the mettall ; first to digge and breake the rockes, and 

 then to drawe out the water all together. The first of them, 

 that is, to cut through the rockes, is paine enough ; yea, 

 very hard and excessive. Finally, at this day the King re 

 ceives for his fift yeerely, from the mines of Potosi, a 

 million of silver, besides the wealth that growes by quick 

 silver and other royall prerogatives, which is a great 

 treasure. Some men of iudgement having cast vp the ac- 

 comptes, say that what hath beene brought into the custom e 

 house of Potosi vnto the yeere of our Lord one thousand 

 five hundred eighty and five, amounteth vnto a hundred 

 thousand millions of peeces of essay, whereof every Peece is 



