Ch.XIII. south AMERICA. 151 



or Taruga, and the Llama. It muft, however, be 

 obferved that thefe creatures are common to ail the 

 other provinces of Punas, that is, to thofe where the 

 heaths and mountains are of fuch a height, as to render 

 the air continually cold. Here are alfo mines of gold, 

 but at prefent forfaken, tho' the remains of the old 

 works are lliJl vifible, particularly in one of the 

 ziiountains near Coicha, known by the name of 

 Abetanis, which in the Indian language fignifies a 

 golden mine. That of St. Chriftopher de Acochala 

 was formerly one of the moil famous in all Peru, for 

 the richnefs of its filver mines, the metal being in fome 

 parts cut out with a chiiTel but now very greatly 

 declined ; which may in a great meafure be imputed 

 to a want of people for w^orking them y it being highly 

 probable that the fame work would ftiil produce near^- 

 iy an equal quantity of that valuable metal. 



VI. The jurifdi6lion of Amparaes begins at a little 

 diftance to the eaftward of the city of Plata, and is 

 terminated on the eail by the jurifdidlions belonging 

 to the diocefs of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, particularly 

 on that of Mifquepocona j and the corregidor of the 

 province of Amparaes has the cognizance of the In- 

 dian inhabitants of Plata. Its warm parts abound in 

 grain, particularly barley, which together with the 

 numerous droves of cattle in the colder parts, confli- 

 tute the chief branches of its trade. 



VIII. Mox^TH-WEST of Plata is the province of 

 Oruro, whofe capital San Phelipede Auftria de Oruro 

 is 30 leagues diftant from it. The greateft part of 

 this jurifdidion is fo cold as to deny it any efculent 

 vegetables but on the other hand it feeds numerous 

 flocks and herds, befides great numbers of cattle pe- 

 culiar to the country, as Vicunas, Guanacos, and 

 Llamas. Here are alfo many gold and filver mines ; 

 the former, tho' known even in the time of the 

 Yncas, have been feldom worked j but thofe of fiiver 

 have yielded great riches to the inhabitants of the 



L 4 province. 



