6o6 ulloa's voyage to south America. 



From the fouthern provinces, as Plata, Oruro, Potofi, and Cufco, is fent Vicuna wool 

 for making hats, and fome fluffs of a peculiar finenefs. Laftly, from Paraguay the 

 herb called by that name is fent, of which there is an amazing confumption, it being 

 fent from Lima among the other provinces, as far as Quito. There is no province in 

 Peru, which does not remit to Lima its produfts and manufactures, and fupplies itfelf 

 from hence with the neceffary commodities. Thus Lima is the emporium to which 

 people refort from all parts ; and trade being always in a conftant circulation, befides 

 the continual refort of ftrangers, the families of rank are enabled to fupport the ex- 

 pences of that fplendour I have already mentioned ; for, without fuch continual affift- 

 ance, they muft either contra£l their expences, or fall victims to their oftentation. 



It would naturally be imagined that by a commerce fo extenfive and important, many 

 raft fortunes muft be acquired, efpecially as every branch of it is attended with great 

 profits ; but if there are fome who adually do acquire great riches, neither their num- 

 ber nor opulence are equal to what might be expeded ; for by a narrow infpedion, 

 there will hardly be found above ten or fifteen houfes of trade, exclufiv^ of immove- 

 ables, as lands and offices, whofe ftock in money and goods amounts to five or fix hun- 

 dred thoufand crowns ; and to one that exceeds this fum, there are more that fall fliort 

 of it. Many poffefs from one to three hundred thoufand crowns, and thefe are indeed the 

 perfons who compofe the main body of trade. Befides thefe there are great numbers of 

 inferior traders, whofe capitals do not exceed fifty or a hundred thoufand crowns. The 

 paucity of immenfe fortunes amidft fuch advantages is doubtfefs owing to the enormous 

 expences ; whence, though their gains are -great, they can hardly fupport their credit ; 

 fo that after paying the fortunes of their daughters, and the eftablifhing their fons, the 

 wealth of moft families terminates with the life of him who raifed it, being divided into 

 as many fmall ftocks as he had dependents ; unlefs fome, either by induftry or good 

 fortune, improve the portion they obtained by inheritance. 



The inhabitants of Lima have a natural difpofition and aptitude for commerce, and 

 the city may be confidered as an academy to which great numbers repair to perfect 

 themfelves in the various arts of trade. They both penetrate into the fineffes of the 

 feller, and artfully draw the purchafer into their views. They are bleffed with a re- 

 markable talent of perfuafion, at the fame time that they are incapable of being per- 

 fuaded, as well as of artfully eluding objedions. They affed to flight what they are 

 moft defirous of purchafing, and by that means often make very advantageous bargains, 

 which none can obtain from them. But after all thefe precautions and fineffes in buy- 

 ing and felling, for which they are fo diftinguifhed, none are more pundual and honour- 

 able in performing their contrails. 



Befides the fhops where ftuffs and goods of that kind are fold, there are others for 

 fnuff ; and in thefe may be purchafed the wrought plate, which is bought in the cities 

 near the mines, where it is made. 



The wholefale traders, who have large warehoufes, are not above keeping fhops 

 where they fell by retail, which is reckoned no difgrace ; and thus they gain that profit 

 which they muft otherwife allow to others. And from this indulgence granted to every 

 branch of commerce, it flourifhes very greatly. There are, however, many families, 

 who, as I have already obferved, fupport a proper fplendor entirely by the revenue of 

 their eftates, without joining in the cares and hurry of commerce. But a greater num- 

 ber with eftates, add the advantages of commerce, in order to preferve them. Thefe, 

 however, deal only at the fairs of the galleons, and in other large branches of commerce j 

 and find the benefit of having abandoned thofe fcruples brought by their anceftors from 

 Spain, namely, that trade would tarnifh the luftre of their nobility. 



12 CHAP. 



