_540 ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



to fecure any fmall particles of gold, which, from their extreme fmallnefs might be 

 carried off by the current of the water being mixed with earth and other fubftances : 

 and laftly, this water is paffed into a third cocha : but the favings here are generally 

 inconfiderable. 



This is the method praftifed in all the mines belonging to the jurifdidion of Popayan. 

 The labourers are Negro flaves, purchafed by the owners ; and whilft fome are 

 employed in wafhing, others bring earth ; fo that the waftiers are kept in continual 

 employment. The finenefs of this gold is generally of twenty-two carats ; fometimes 

 more, even to twenty-three j fometimes indeed it is under, though very feldom below 

 twenty-one. 



In the diftrid of Choco are many mines of Lavadero, or walh gold, like thofe we 

 have juft defcribed. There are alfo fome, where mercury muft be ufed, the gold 

 b'eing enveloped in other metallic bodies, ftones, and bitumens. Several of the mines 

 have been abandoned on account of the platina ; a fubflance of fuch refiflance, that, 

 when ftruck on an anvil of fleel, it is not eafy to be feparated : nor is it calcinable ; 

 fo that the metal enclofed within this obdurate body, could not be extraded without 

 infinite labour and charge. In fome of thefe mines the gold is found mixed with the 

 metal called tumbaga, or copper, and equal to that of the Eaft ; but its moil remark- 

 able quality is, that it produces no verdigreafe, nor is corroded by any acids, as com- 

 mon copper is well known to be. 



The gold taken out of all thefe lavaderos, or mines, in the province of Quito, is 

 partly circulated in it : but after no long flay, like the other gold of thefe countries, 

 goes away to Lima ; yet thefe circulations, however temporary, preferve it from that 

 decay which other parts have felt. A large quantity of this gold is carried to Santa 

 Fe or Carthagena, fo that Quito fees very little of it. 



In the diftrift of the town of Zaruma, within the jurifdi£lion of Loxa, are feveral 

 gold mines worked ; and though of no great finenefs, being only betwixt fixteen and 

 eighteen carats, they are fo rich, that, when refined to twenty carats, they prove more 

 advantageous to the miners than thofe where the gold is naturally of that finenefs, but 

 lefs abundant. Antiently it was ufual to work veins, but the inhabitants are now fo 

 indolent, that mofl of them are neglected. Thefe ores are worked with quickfilver, 

 and all the mines here are Caxa mines. Of the fame kind alfo are other gold mines 

 within thejurifdidion of the government of Jaen Bracamoros, which, about eighty or 

 a hundred years ago, yielded great quantities of metal. But the Indians of thofe parts, 

 encouraged by the fuccefs of their brethren of Macas, having revolted, the fituation of 

 them was entirely forgotten ; and no care has fince been taken to fearch after them. 

 The gold extraded from thefe mines, though not fo fine as that of Popayan, far 

 exceeded the Zaruma gold. The Indians flill extract fome fmall quantities, when 

 abfolute neceility drives them to this refource for paying the tribute. In order to this, 

 they go to fome brook or river, and there wait till it overflows its bank, then wafh the 

 fands till they have procured a fufficient quantity to anfwer their prefent neceffity ; then 

 they immediately leave off, not thinking it worth while to fatigue themfelves any longer 

 about it. Several mines difcovered all over this province, have undergone the fame 

 fate. One of thefe was in the jurifdi(5lion of the town of Latacunga, near the village 

 of Angamarca ; the owner of which was an inhabitant of the village called Sanabria. 

 The quantity of metal he procured from it was fo great, that in order to lofe no time, 

 he caufed it to be worked day and night, and had for that purpofe a great number of 

 Negro flaves, who laboured in the night ; and the Indians continued the work in tne 

 day time. But in the height of his profperity, the mine in a violent florm gave way, 



and 



