ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 



541 



and funk fo low, that though frequent fearches have been made after it, the vein could 

 not be found. At laft, in the year 1743, a perfon difcovered it by an accident of the 

 fame nature that had deftroyed it ; a violent tempeft happened, during which, a torrent 

 of water guihed out through the former entrance of the mine. The perfon, inter- 

 preting this accident as a providential indication, immediately undertook the working 

 of it ; and it has fully anfwered his expectations. 



Within the jurifdidion of this province are many other mines, which appear to have 

 been worked at different times, and to have yielded a great quantity of metal. The 

 nature of the country feems beft adapted to gold mines ; though there are feveral filver 

 veins, which appear to be very rich, and accordingly an account of them is entered in 

 the feveral revenue offices, and in the records of the audience of Quito. Some have 

 been lately worked, though with little encouragement ; of this number may be faid 

 to be that of Guacaya, in the jurifdiftion of Zicchos, on the frontiers of Latacunga ; 

 and another likewife of filver, about two leagues from the former. Both were worked 

 fome time, but never beyond the furface of the earth, the undertakers not having a 

 fufficient ftock of their own to work them in form ; and the affiftance they folicited was 

 denied. The moft celebrated filver mine in all this diftritt, is that called Sarapullo, 

 about eighteen leagues from the fame town of Zicchos. This alfo was opened, but 

 difcontinued through the inftability of the undertaker, and the want of proper 

 affiftance. 



In the other jurifdidion, as well as in that of Latacunga, are all the indications of rich 

 mines, though the number of them difcovered is much lefs. The mountain of Pichincha is, 

 by the inhabitants of Quito, thought to contain immenfe treafures ; and the grains of gold, 

 found in the fands of the waters which iffue from it, greatly countenance the opinion ; 

 though there is not the leaft veflige all over the mountain, that formerly any mine was 

 difcovered or worked there. But the latter is no great objeftion : as the difruptions 

 caufed by ftorms, or procefs of time, are fuch as fometimes might entirely choak them 

 up, and cover them fo as to leave no traces of their exiflence ; and a fuitable diligence 

 and care have not been ufed for the difcovery of any. Befides this mountain, its whole 

 Cordillera, together with the eaftern chain of Guamani, and many other parts, equally 

 abound with the like appearances of rich mines. 



In the diftrids of Otabalo, and the town of San Miguel de Ibarra, in the territories 

 of the village of Cayambe, along the fides and eminences of the vafl mountain Cayam- 

 buro, are flill remaining fome monuments in confirmation of the tradition, that, before 

 the conquefl, mines were worked there, which yielded a vafl quantity of metal. 

 Among feveral mountains near the village of Mira, famed for their antient riches, is 

 one called Pachon, from which an inhabitant of that village is certainly known to have 

 collected, a few years ago, a vafl fortune. None of thefe are worked : a particular, 

 nothing flrange to him who fees how the mines lately difcovered are negleded, though 

 their quality is fufficiently known. 



The whole country of Pallaclanga, in the jurifdidlion of the town of Riobamba, 

 is full of mines of gold and filver : and the whole jurifdidtion abounds with them to 

 fuch a degree, that one perfon with whom I was acquainted in that town, and who, by 

 his civilities to us and the French academicians, feemfed to have a foul fuitable to his 

 opulence, had entered, on his own account, at the mine office of Quito, eighteen veins 

 of gold and filver, and all of a good quality. The ore of one of thefe veins, by the 

 miners called Negrillos, being affayed at Lima, in 1728, it appeared, from a certificate 

 of Don Juan Antonio de la Mota Torres, that it produced eighty marks of filver per cheft ; 

 a very aflonifhing circumflance, the ufual produce in rich mines being only eight or 



12 ten 



