458 ,A VOYAGE TO Book VI. 



great numbers of other miners of more limited 

 circumftances, all eagerly embracing any opportu- 

 nity of employing their fubftance in undertaking 

 mines. 



The governments of Quijos and Majos are no 

 lefs abundant in mines than the jurifdi6lions of Qui- 

 to ; thofe in Jaen are of infinite richnefs ; and thofe 

 of Maynas and Atacames not inferior to them. 

 With regard to the firil:, it is very well known, that 

 the Indians on the banks of the Maranon, by wafhr 

 ing the fands of fome of the rivers running into it, 

 procure what gold they want, though their defires in 

 this point are as moderate as the avidity of other na- 

 tions are infatiable. This gold is an evident fign that 

 the adjacent country abounds in mines. As to the 

 fecond, experience has fhewn that the borders of the 

 rivers of Santiago and Mira are full of veins of gold, 

 the Mulattos and Meftizos fupplying themfelves with 

 that metal by wafhing the fands. But neither of 

 them have applied themfelves to difcover the ori- 

 ginal veins. Befides gold and filver mines, the pro- 

 vince of Qiiito has alfo thofe of other metals, and 

 quarries of fine ftone *, but thefe are utterly difregard- 

 ed by the inhabitants. Yet this province could not 

 attain the complete pofTefTion of its riches, if to the 

 mines of gold and filver, nature had not added thofe 

 materials which are necefTary in extra6ling the trea- 

 fures they contain, and in the other fervices of life : 

 nor could this country be properly faid to be rich ill 

 mines, if it afforded only thofe of gold and filver; 

 but nature, that there' might be no deficiency in her 

 gift, hath alfo furnifhed it vnih mines of azogue or 

 quickfilver, which are found in the fouthern extre- 

 mity of the province, near a village of the fame name 

 belonging to the jurifdidiion of Cuenca. Formerly 

 the quickfilver for the gold and filver mines was 

 furnifhed from hence ; but this has been fuppreiTed, 

 2 fo 



