ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. ' 537 



Thus they continue till they come up with the game, or till, after following it four or 

 five leagues, the horfes tire. Thofe in the other ftations, on perceiving one horfe on 

 its fpeed, immediately ftart ; and thus the whole company are foon in motion ; fome 

 haftening to meet the beaft, and others following the chace ; fo that in fuch nmltitudes 

 it is very feldom his good fortune to efcape. The horfes here do not wait for the riders 

 to animate them ; they fet forward immediately on feeing another on full fpeed on a 

 different mountain, or at the.fhouts of the huntfmen, or cries of the dogs, though at 

 ever fo great a diftance, or even by obferving in a dog the leafl motion that he fcents 

 the game. One fuch circumftance is fufficient for thefe horfes : and it then becomes 

 prudence in the rider to give him his way, and at the fame time to let him feel the fpur 

 to carry him over the precipices. But, at the fame time, let"him be very attentive to 

 keep the faddle ; for on fuch declivities the leafl negleft throws the rider over the 

 horfe's head : the confequence of which, either by the fall, or by being trampled upon, 

 is generally fatal. Thefe horfes are called paramos, being backed and exercifed in run- 

 ning over fuch dangerous places. Their ufual pace is trotting. There is indeed another 

 fpecies called aguiUllas, equally remarkable for their fwiftnefs and fecurity. Though 

 the aguilillas only pace, they equal the longefl trot of *the others : and fome of them are 

 fo fleet, that no other horfe can match them even at full gallop. I once was mailer of 

 one of this kind ; and which, though none of the racers, often carried me in twenty-nine 

 minutes from Callao to Lima, which is two meafured leagues and a half, though not- 

 withflanding great part of the road was very bad and llony ; and in twenty-eight or , 

 twenty-nine minutes brought me back again, without ever taking off the bridle. This 

 I can affert from my own experience. Thefe horfes are very feldom known to gallop 

 or trot ; and it is a very difficult matter even to bring them to it by teaching, though 

 the trotting horfes foon come into pacing. The pace of the aguiUllas is by lifting up 

 the fore and hind leg of the fame fide at once ; but inllead of putting the hinder foot 

 in the place where the fore foot was, as is the ufual way of other pacing horfes, they 

 advance it farther, equal to that on the contrary fide, or fomething beyond it ; that thus, 

 in each motion, they advance twice the fpace of the common horfes. Befides, they are 

 very quick in their motions, and remarkably eafy to the rider. 



Other horfes, not of this breed, are taught the fame manner of pacing, and perform 

 it with eafe and expedition, as thofe in whom it is a natural quality : neither fpecies are 

 handfome, but very gentle and docile j full of fpirit and intrepidity. 



CHAP. X. — A Jhort Accomit of the many Silver and Gold Mines in the Province of 

 Quito; and the Method of extrading the Metal. 



THE chief riches of the kingdom of Peru, and the greateft part of the Spanifh pof- 

 fefTions on the continent, being the mines, which fpread their ramifications through the 

 whole extent of thefe countries j that province is juflly accounted the moll valuable 

 where the mines are mofl numerous, or at leafl, where the greatefl quantity of metal is 

 procured. The fertility of the foil, the exuberant har veils with which the labourer's 

 toil is rewarded, would lofe much of their advantage, had not the precious contents in 

 the bowels of the earth exercifed the ingenuity of the miner. The fertile paflures which 

 fo richly cover the country, are difregarded, if the flones upon trial are not found to 

 anfwer the avidity of the artifls : and the plentiful produftions of the earth, which are 

 in reality the mofl excellent gifts of nature, for the fupport and comfort of human life, 

 are undervalued and flighted, unlefs the mountains contain rich veins of a fine filver. 



VOL. XIV. 3 z * Thitf > 



