Ch. X. SOUTH AMERICA. 453 



in it : but after no long ftay, like the other gold of 

 thefe countries, goes away to Lima; yet thefe circu- 

 lations, however temporary, preferve it from that de- 

 cay, which other parts have felt. A large quantity 

 of this gold is carried to Santa Fe or Carthagena, fo 

 that Quito fees very little of it. 



In the diftri^t of the town of Zaruma, within 

 the jurifdi6tion of Loxa, are feveral goldmines work- 

 ed ; and though of no great finenefs, being only be- 

 twixt fixteen and eighteen carats, they are fo rich, 

 that, when refined to twenty carats, they prove more 

 advantageous to the miners than thofe where the gold 

 is naturally of that finenefs, but lefs abundant. An- 

 ciently it was ufual to work veins ; but the inhabi- 

 tants are now fo indolent, that moft of them are neg- 

 lecfted. Thefe ores are worked with quickfilver; and 

 all the mines here are Caxa mines. Of the fame kind 

 alfo are other gold mines within the jurifdidlion of 

 the government of Jaen Bracamoros, which, about 

 eighty or a hundred years ago, yielded great quantities 

 of metal. But the Indians of thofe parts, encouraged 

 by the fuccefs of their brethren of IVIacas, having 

 revolted, the fituation of them was entirely forgotten; 

 and no care has lince been taken to fearch after them. 

 The gold extra6bed from thefe mines, though not fo 

 fine as that of Popayan, far exceeded the Zaruma 

 gM. The Indians ftill extra6l fome fmall quanti- 

 ties, when abfolute neceffity drives them to this re- 

 fource for paying the tribute. In order to this, they 

 go to fome brook or river, and there wait till it over- 

 flows its bank, then wafh the fands till they have 

 procured a fufficient quantity to anfwer their prefent 

 necelTity ; then they immediately leave off, not think- 

 ing it worth while to fatigue themfelves any longer 

 about it. Several mines, difcovered all over this pro- 

 vince, have undergone the fame fate. One of thefe 

 was in the jurifdidtion of the town of Latacunga, 



G g 3 near 



