^4 BETAGH's ACCOUl^f OF PERU. 



-clear.proof of the mighty extent oftheSpanifh empire, which reaches herefrom fea 

 to fea. On the whole, though a very great part of the country be abfolutely defert ; 

 and, in fome places where it is inhabited, the people do not acquire great fortunes; 

 yet, unqueilionably, the Spaniards fettled in Chili acquire annually immenfe riches ; 

 lince, as we obferved before, the country 'is very thinly peopled, and all the gold that is 

 drawn from the mines, or lavadores, muft be divided amongfl them. 



Yet it is agreed, that a great part of the inhabitants do not feem to abound in wealth ; 

 which, however, may be very well accounted for, if we confider, that fuch as deal in 

 cattle, corn, and the other product of the country, acquire but moderate fortunes ; and 

 fuch as are concerned in mines are frequently ruined, by launching into too great ex- 

 pences about them. But, after all, fuch as are eafy in their circumftances, and, in 

 confequence of that eafe, retire to St. lago, live in fuch a manner, as fufficiently de- 

 monftrates the riches of Chih, fmce all their utenfils, even thofe that are molt common, 

 are of pure gold ; and it is believed that the wealth of that city alone cannot fall fliort 

 of 20,000,000. Add to this, that the gold mines are continually increafing, and it is 

 only for want of hands that they are not wrought to infinitely more advantage, thofe 

 already difcovered, and neglected, being fufficient to employ 40,000 men. It 

 may be likewife obferved, that the frauds pradifed for deceiving the King increafe daily; 

 and, as they meafure the riches of the Spanifh Weft Indies by the ftandard of the 

 King's revenue, this muft neceffarily make them appear poorer than they really are. 

 We have an inftance of this in the mines of Potofi, which are faid to yield lefs filver 

 than they did formerly ; yet, Dn a computation for fifty years, the King's annual 

 revenue from thofe mines has amounted to 220,000 pefos of thirteen rials and a quarter 

 each ; which fiiews that the annual produce of thefe mines, foi' which the legal duty is 

 paid,amounts nearly to 2,000,000 pieces of eight per annum; and we may boldly alTert, 

 that the King does not receive above half of what is due : and from this example we 

 may judge of the reft^ 



As the policy of the Spaniards confifts chiefly in endeavouring, by all ways and 

 means poffible, to reftrain the vaft riches of thofe 'extenfrve dominions from paffing 

 into other hands, fo the knowledge that other nations have of the mighty wealth of 

 thefe countries, on the one hand, and of the great demand for European manufactures 

 among their inhabitants, on the other, has excited almoft ever nation in Europe to 

 pra6life all methods pofllble, in order to gain a fhare in them ; and this with fo good 

 effeCt, that it is very doubtful, whether any confiderable part of the riches in the Weft 

 Indies centers among the inhabitants of Old Spain. This will appear very plainly to 

 the reader, if he confiders that, in the nrft place, the very trade carried on from Spain 

 is of much greater, confequence to foreigners, than, to the Spaniards themfelves ; for, 

 as there are few commodities, and fcarce any manufactures in that country, the Spanifh 

 merchants at Cadiz make up their cargoes out of what they purchafe from other coun- 

 tries ; or rather, the merchants at Cadiz are barely factors for the Englifh, French, and 

 Dutch, whofe goods they fend to America, and pay them out of the returns made by 

 the plate fleets. We are likewife to confider, that Spain itfelf is a country very ill pro- 

 Tided with fome of the neceflaries and moft of the conveniences, of life ; fo that pro- 

 digious fums of money are annually exported to obtain thefe. 



But, befides fuch drawbacks as thofe we have mentioned, to which the Spaniards 

 would willingly fubmit, there are many others, which they are forced to endure : for 

 inftance, all the negroes they employ in their plantations, where every kind of labour 

 is done by thefe fort of people, all thefe negroes, I fay, are purchafed from foreigners, 



particularly 



