538 ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



Thus, contrary to the nature of things, the name of rich is beftowed on that province 

 where moft mines are worked, though fo entirely deftitute of the other more neceflary 

 products, that the great number of people employed in the mines are under a neceffity 

 of being fupplied from other parts : and thofe provinces, whofe paftures are covered 

 with flocks and herds, whofe fields yield plentiful harvefts, and their trees bend beneath 

 rich fruits, under the fertilizing influence of a benign climate, but defl:itute of mines, or 

 forgotten through negle£l, are looked upon as poor ; and indeed, except in the plentiful 

 furface of the earth, make no wealthy appearance. This is the cafe here ; and the rea- 

 fon of it is evident : thofe countries are as fl:aples for filver and gold, which are taken 

 from the bowels of the earth only to be fent into difl:ant nations with all poflible dili- 

 gence, their native country being that where they make the leafl; flay : and the fame 

 practice is obferved to be carried on, no lefs eagerly, throughout every town and village 

 in the Indies : for, as they cannot well do without European goods, the gold and filver 

 of America mufl: be paid in exchange for them. 



In a province where no mines are worked, the fertility of the foil, and goodnefs of 

 its producls are neglefted ; for the fcarcity of money reduces them to fuch a low price, 

 that the hufbandman, for want of an incentive to any afliduous induft:ry, infl:ead of fow- 

 ing and planting all he could, confults only what he may vend according to the common 

 confumption, befides what is neceflary for the fupport of his family. And as the whole 

 return of what he receives for his fruits and grain, even when he is fo fortunate as to 

 export any, goes away again in exchange for European goods, the fcarcity of money 

 ftill continues, and he is fo poor as fometimes poflibly to want even neceflaries. It is 

 otherwife in provinces abounding with mines ; for thefe being the objects of the atten- 

 tion and labours of its inhabitants, there is a continual circulation of money. What is 

 carried out, is replaced by that drawn from the mines. Nor are they even in want of 

 European goods, or the produce of the more fertile countries, plenty of traders from all 

 parts reforting to places near the mines, as the original feats of gold and filver. But 

 that province where the richnefs of the mines and of the foil concenter, is doubtlefs 

 preferable to thofe where nature has given only one of thefe advantages. Quito may 

 jufl:ly be clafled among the former, being that province which of all Peru is the moft 

 fertile in grain and fruits; the moft populous, and epecially in Spaniards; abounds 

 moft in cattle ; has the moft manufactures, and excels in them ; and in mines, if not 

 the richeft, yet equal to any of the others, on which nature has poured out thefe her 

 choiceft favours. But it feems as if nature, unwilling to diftinguilh this by an abfolute 

 happinefs, has denied it a fuitable concourfe of people, that it might not at once have a 

 full enjoyment of all the benefits laviflied on it, there being, no reafon which can difcul- 

 pate the inhabitants of Quito in the negleCt of the mines. For though the number of 

 them difcovered be very great, and afford a very probable conjefture that the Cordil- 

 leras muft contain many more; yet very few are worked, particularly within thefe 

 jurifdiftions. Thus the riches of the country lie buried, and without them the fertihty 

 of the foil cannot fupply their want ; fo as to fpread through the province an opulence 

 like that obfervable in the other provinces of Peru, where, by the circulation of filver, 

 there is an univerfal appearance of affluence, gaiety, and fplendour. 



Of the great number of mines within the province of Quito, fome were formerly 

 worked which at prefent are abandoned. The country then was fenfible of its advan- 

 tage ; and the remembrance of the general opulence of thofe times, refulting from the 

 riches taken out of the mines, ftill fubfifts. Not only the capital, but the towns and 

 villages were then very populous : and many of its inhabitants were famous all over 

 Peru for their prodigious wealth. The rich mines \vithin the jurifdidion of Mecas> 



1 1 were 



