Ch.XIII. south AMERICA. 153 



land confiderable quantities of gold duft, and grains 

 of that metal are found. The filver mines arc ftill 

 worked to great advantage; but with regard to 

 cattle, this province feeds no more than are barely 

 fufficient for its inhabitants. 



XI. The contiguous province to that' of Chayanta, 

 on the north-weft fide of Plata, and fcventy leagues 

 diftant from that city, is that of Paria, the extent 

 of which is about forty leagues. The air here is 

 cold, fo that it produces little grain, which is in fome 

 meafure compcnfated by the great plenty of cattle of 

 all kinds-, and the cheefes made here, both from the 

 milk of fheep and cows, are fo highly efteemed, that 

 they are fcnt into every part of Peru : It has alfo fome 

 filver mines. The name of this province is derived 

 from a very large lake, being an arm of that prodi- 

 gious colledion of waters called Titi-caca, or Chu- 

 cuito. 



XII. The Province of Carangas, begins feventy 

 leagues weft from the city of Plata, and extends above 

 fifty leagues. The climate of this jurifdidion is fo 

 cold, that the only efculent vegetables here are the 

 Papa, Quinoa, nnd Canagua ; but it abounds in 

 cattle. Here are a great number of filver mines 

 conftantly y6rked ; among which that called Turco 

 is very remiai'kable for a fort of ore termed by miners 

 Machacado ; the fibres of the filver forming an 

 admirable intcrtexture with the ftone in which they 

 are contained. Mines of this kind are generally the 

 richeft. Befides this there are others in this jurif- 

 didion, which if not richer, are equally remarkable ; 

 and thefe are found in the barren fandy defcrts ex- 

 tending towards the coaft of the South-Sea. And here, 

 only by digging in the fands, are found detached 

 lumps of filver, not mixed with any ore or ftone, than 

 what adheres in fome parts to the metal. Thefe lumps 

 are called Papas, being taken out of the ground, in 



fame manner as that rOQt. It is doubtlcfs very dif- 

 ficult 



