624 ULLOA'S voyage to south AMERICA. 



lived at Porco, haftened home with thefe firft fruits of his difcovery, walhed the filver 

 and made ufe of it, repairing, when his flock was near exhaufted, to this perpetual 

 fund. At length an intimate friend of his, called Guanca, obferving fuch a hap^y 

 change in his circumflances, was defirous of knowing the caufe, and urged his queftions 

 with a warmth that Gualca was unable to deny. For fome time they retired in concert 

 to the mountain for frefli fupplies of filver, till Gualca, refufmg to difcover his method 

 of purifying the metal, Guanca revealed the whole fecret to his mafter Villarroel, a 

 Spaniard, who lived at Porco. Immediately on this information he went, on the 

 2ift of April 1545, to view this fortunate breach in the mountain, and the mine was 

 without delay worked, with immenfe advantage. 



This firft mine was called the Difcoverer, as having been the occafion of difcovering 

 other fources of riches enclofed in the bowels of this mountain ; for in a few days 

 another was found equally rich, and called the Tin-mine ; fmce that, another has been 

 difcovered, and diftinguifhed by the name of Rica, as furpafling all the reft : and was 

 fucceeded by the Mendieta. Thefe are the principal mines of Potofi, but there are 

 feveral fmaller, croffing the mountain, on all fides. The fituation of the former of 

 thefe mines is on the north fide of the mountain, their direclion bemg to the fouthj 

 a little inclining to the weft ; and it is the opinion of the moft intelligent miners in this 

 country, that thofe which run in thefe direftions are the richeft. 



On a report of thefe important difcoveries, people from all parts retired to Potofi, 

 particularly from the city of Plata, which is fituated about twenty-five leagues from 

 the mountains ; fo that at prefent, befides its extraordinary riches, having among its 

 inhabitants many noble families, particularly thofe concerned in the mines, the circuit 

 of the town is near two leagues. The air of the mountain being extremely cold and 

 dry*, renders the adjacent country remarkably barren, producing neither grain, fruits, 

 herbs, or other efculents. The town, however, is fo plentifully provided as to enjoy 

 an abundance of every kindj and the trade for provifions is greater here than in 

 any other place, that of Lima alone excepted. Nor will this appear at all ftrange if 

 the great number of people employed in the mines be confidered. Some provinces 

 fend the beft of their grain and fruits ; others their cattle ; others their manufac- 

 tures ; and thofe who trade in European goods refort to Potofi, as to a market where 

 there is a great demand, and no want of filver to give in exchange. 



Befides this commerce, here are a fet of perfons called Aviadores, who find their 

 account in advancing to the mafters of the mines coined filver to pay their neceffary 

 expences, receiving in exchange filver in ingots and pinnas. Another article of great 

 confequence, is the trade of quickfilver for the ufe of thefe mines ; but this branch 

 the crown has referved to itfelf. The vaft confumption of this mineral may in fome 

 meafure be conceived by the great quantity of filver produced by thefe mines ; for 

 before the invention of extracting the filver with lefs mercury, a mark of that mineral 

 was confumed in obtaining a mark of fine filver ; and often by the ignorance of the 

 workmen, a ftill greater quantity ; but the immenfe confumption of quickfilver in the 

 mines of this mountain, and the riches extracted from it, will beft appear from the 

 following accounts of two authors, who were perfe£tly mafters of the fubjeft. The 

 firft is that of the Rev. Alonzo Barba, parifh-prieft in the imperial town of Potofi, 

 who, in a piece on metals, publifhed in the year 1637, fays, that from the year 1574, 

 when mercury was firft ufed here in extracting the filver, the royal office of Potofi has 

 received above 204,700 quintals of mercury, exclufive of what had been clandeftinely 



* The extremell cold in this part feldom freezes the waters thicker than a lialf crown. 



12 bought 



