€h. XIV. SOUTH AMERICA. 165 



vinces, in purfuance of a law made by that Ynca, and 

 fince often confirmed by the kings of Spain, on ac- 

 count of its prodigious ufe it being the channel of 

 intercourfe between thofe provinces feparated by the 

 Defaguadero. 



VI. The lad jurifdidion of this biflioprick is that 

 of Paucar-Colla, whofe capital is the town of Puno. 

 Its jurifdidlion fouthward borders on that of Chucui- 

 to, and has the fame temperature : confequently is o- 

 biiged to have recourfe to other provinces for the 

 greatefl: part of its grain, andefculent vegetables ; but 

 abounds in all kinds of cattle, both of the European 

 and American kinds. The Indians of the town weave 

 bags with their wool, and fell them to great advan- 

 tage. The mountains in this province contain feveral 

 filver mines, and among the reft the famous Laycaco- 

 ta, which formerly belonged to Jofeph Salcedo, and 

 where the metal was often cut out of the mine with a 

 chilTel ; but its prodigious richnefs accelerated the 

 death of its owner, foon after which the waters broke 

 into it nor has any labour and expence been able to 

 drain it, fo that it is at prefent abandoned. Few of 

 the reft are worked, the general cafe with almoft all the 

 filver mines in this audience, efpecially of thofe in th$ 

 archbiftiopric of Charcas, and this diocefs of La Paz. 

 II. Biftiopric in the audience of Charcas. 

 Santa Cruz d"e la Sierra. 



The province of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, is a go- 

 vernment and captain generalftiip : and though its ju- 

 rifdidion is of a large extent, not many Spaniards are 

 found in it, and the few towns are in general miffions, 

 comprehended under the common name of Paraguay 

 miffions. The capital of the fame name was creded 

 into a biftiopric in the year 1605. Its chapter confifts 

 only of a bifnop, dean, and archdeacon, having nei- 

 ther canons, prebendaries, or other dignitaries. The 

 lifual refidence of the bifnop is the city of Mifque 

 focona, eighty leagues from Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 



M 3 The 



