98 



LAYCAYCOTA SILYER-MINE. 



Chap. VI. 



and executed. Gaspar was detained a prisoner in Callao 

 castle. 



It was the general impression at the time, and is so still at 

 Puno, that jealousy and envy of their riches occasioned the 

 persecution of these men; for not only were the charges 

 against them most frivolous, but the Count of Santistevan, 

 the predecessor of the Count of Lemos, had caused the 

 Bishop of Arequipa to publish a general pardon of all 

 offences in 1666. The accusations against Josd Salcedo were 

 that he went about with armed men, took a seat next to the 

 corregidor at a bull-fight in Cuzco, and neglected to obey the 

 order to come to Lima.^ 



A petition was afterwards sent to Spain, representing that 

 the Salcedos were the victims of injustice, and not guilty of 

 disloyalty ; that the Viceroy's proceedings were irregular ; 

 and that the heirs of the Coimt of Lemos were bound to 

 make reparation for the evils caused to these deserving men. 

 The petition also prayed that the President of the Council of 

 the Indies might not be allowed to decide the case, because 

 he was related to the Count of Lemos.^'' This petition seems 

 to have received favourable consideration ; for I iind that the 

 son of Jose de Salcedo was afterwards created Marquis de la 

 Villa Kica de Puno, and that he took a leading part in subse- 

 quent mining operations. 



The most remarkable part of this story is that on the day 

 of Salcedo's death the mine became full of water, and the 

 Viceroy was thus disappointed in his expectation of suc- 

 ceeding to the wealth of which he had deprived his "victim. 

 This curious coincidence made a great impression on the 



^ Compenclio del liecho y opuntami- 

 eiito de dereclios de Fisco, en la causa 

 contra Jose' de Salcedo, sobre las sedici- 

 oiies y tumultos del asiento de minas de 

 Laycocota. Papeles Varios 2, in the 

 National Library at Lima. 



io This was the Coiuit of Medellin 

 who maiTied Cataliua Ponce de Leon, 

 sister of the Duchess of Gandia, whose 

 husband was brother of the Countess 

 of Lemos. 



