55<^ 



ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 



the inward bank at leaft three or four feet higher than the outward, to have the greater 

 advantage over the aflailants. 



The jundion and polifh fo much admired in all the remaining flone-works of the 

 Indians, plainly fhew, that they made ufe of fome ftones to polifli others, by rubbing 

 them together ; it being highly improbable that they could bring them to fuch perfec- 

 tion with the few and awkward tools they ufed : as for the working of iron, they were 

 undoubtedly ftrangers to it, there being many mines of that metal in this country, 

 and not one of them with any marks of having ever been touched. And no iron was 

 found among them at the arrival of the Spaniards. But, on they contrary, they fhewed 

 an extreme fondnefs for any thing made of that metal. 



I have already mentioned the quarries, or mines, producing the two kinds of ftone 

 of which the Indians made their mirrors ; and which veere thofe molt efteemed. There 

 are likewife quarries of other ftones, which, in a country where gold and lilver mines 

 do not abound, would be thought valuable. Of thefe one is in the plain of Talqui, 

 fouth of Cuenca ; out of which are taken very large and beautiful blocks of white and 

 very clear alabafter. Its only fault is its foftnefs : yet that is not fuch as to hinder all 

 kinds of works from being made of it ; or rather, its ealinefs contributes to their 

 perfedion : nor is there any danger of large flakes flying off, which often fpoil an entire 

 piece. The only quarries of this ftone are near Cuenca j but thofe of rock cryftal 

 I have feen in many parts, from whence I have had fome very large, clear, and tranf- 

 parent pieces, and of a remarkable hardnefs : but, as it is not efteemed here, no ufe 

 is made of it ; fo that what is found is purely by accident. In the fame jurifdiftion of 

 Cuenca, and about two leagues north-weft of the city, "not far from the villages of 

 Racan and Saanfay, is a fmall mountain, entirely covered with flints ; moftly black, 

 fome of a reddifli caft, and others whitifti. But, being ftrangers to the manner of 

 cutting and filing them for fire-arms, the people make no ufe of them : and on fome 

 occafions, flints, either for muflcets or piftols, have been fold at Cuenca, Quito, and 

 all over the country, for two rials each ; but one is the common price of them, being 

 brought from Europe. Confequently, as there is here a whole quarry of them, their 

 exorbitant price is wholly owing to a want of induftry, as this would in a fliort time 

 render them as expert at cutting flints as the Europeans. 



After the mines of metals, and the quarries of large ftones, it would be improper to 

 omit the gems found in this province. I have already obferved, that the jurifdidtion 

 of Atacames and Manta formerly abounded in emeralds of a finenefs furpafling thofe 

 of the mines of Santa Fe. Not a fmall number of them was deftroyed by an error of 

 the firft Spaniards, who came hither, imagining that, if they were real gems, they 

 would ftand the ftroke of a hammer on an anvil. The lofs of the mines of Atacames, 

 and the negleO: of many others of gold and filver, was in fome jneafure compenfated 

 by the difcovery of feveral in the jurifdiOion of Cuenca ; but which have been but 

 little improved, though they exhibit the moft inviting figns of their great riches, 

 namely, fragments of rubies j and which, intelligent perfons fay, are very fine. Thefe 

 are ufually found among the lands of a rapid river, not far from the village of Azogues. 

 The Indians, and others, frequently make it their bufmefs to go and wafli thofe fands, 

 where they find fmall fparks," about the bignefs of a lentil, and fometimes larger ; 

 and it is not to be queftioned but thefe are waftied away by the continual allifion of 

 the water in its paflage along the mine. But the inhabitants, content with this piddling 

 work, do not trouble themfelves to trace the origin of the mine ; though there is all 

 the appearance in the world that it would turn to very good account. I myfelf, when 



1 wa^ 



