CHAP. XXII. AMERICAN MINES. 157 



period under consideration, about eight hundred 

 thousand ounces of silver. 



Some mines in the province of Truxillo, known 

 by the names of Hualgayac, Gumachuco, and 

 Conchuco, have been worked ever since the year 

 1772, and have produced from four hundred 

 thousand to eight hundred thousand ounces of 

 silver annually. The ores of the district are said 

 by Humboldt to be richer than those of Potosi, 

 more regular in their product than those of Huan- 

 tajaya, and more easy to work than those of 

 Yauricocha. 



Some gold was found in Peru, in the districts 

 of Pataz and Huailas, on the ridge of the Cor- 

 dilleras ; some on the plains of Curimayo, near 

 the town of Caxamarca ; and small quantities in 

 other parts. 



As the gold and silver extracted in Peru were 

 ordered to be carried to Lima to be coined, the only 

 calculation of the quantity actually produced must 

 be framed from the returns of the mint in that city. 

 Of those returns no regular series is at present 

 attainable earlier than the year 1754. It has there- 

 fore become necessary to assume relying upon 

 the reports of all writers that no great alteration 

 had taken place between 1700 and 1754 the 

 annual produce for the whole one hundred and 

 ten years between 1700 and 1810 to have been 

 at the same rate as for those years of which we 

 have statistical reports. In the fifty-five years 



