Ch.XIII. south AMERICA. 147 



laid hold of a fmall ftirub in order to climb it 

 with the greater celerity j but the fnrub being un- 

 able to fupport his weight came up by the roots, 

 and difcovcred a mafs of fine filver and at the fame 

 time he found fome lumps of the fame metal among 

 the clods, which adhered to the roots. This In- 

 dian, who lived at Porco, haftened home with thefe 

 lirfl: fruits of his difcovery, wafhed the filver and 

 made ufe of it, repairing when his flock was near ex- 

 haufled, to his perpetual fund. At length an inti- 

 mate friend of his called Guanca, obferving fuch a 

 happy change in his circumflances, was defirous of 

 knowing the caufe, and urged his queflions with a 

 warmth, that Gualca was unable to deny. For 

 fome time they retired in concert to the mountain 

 for freih fupplies of filver, till Gualca refufing to 

 difcover his method of purifying the metal, Gu- 

 inea revealed the whole fecret to his mafter Villar- 

 reel, a Spaniard who lived at Porco. Immediately 

 on this information he went on the 2ifl:of Aprils 

 1 545, to view this fortunate breach in the mountain, 

 and the mine was without delay worked, with im^ 

 menfe advantage. 



This firfl mine was called the Difcoverer, as 

 having been the occafion of difcovering other four- 

 ces of riches inclofed in the bowels of this moun- 

 tain for in a few days another v/as found equally 

 rich, and called the Tin-mine : fince that another 

 has been difcovered, and diftinguifhed by the name 

 of Rica, as furpafTing all the refl : and was fuc- 

 ceeded by the Mendieta. Thefe are the principal 

 XTiines 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 diredion being to the fouth^ 

 a httle inclining to the v/eft ^ and is the opinion of 

 the moft intelligent miners in this country, that thole 

 which run in thefe directions are the richefl. 



L 2 On 



