466 A VOYAGE to Book VI. 



pnly a hole in the gallinazos, as was made m the 

 mirrours and much more to give their furfaces fuch 

 ^ fmoothnefs and poHfh, that they are not to be dif- 

 tinguifhed from the finefl glafs, mud have been pro- 

 digious. Thefe are works which the nnoft ingenious 

 pf our artifls would be extremely at a lofs to pro- 

 duce, if they were allowed only pieces of copper and. 

 ftones without any other tools or materials. It is the 

 greateft proof of the ingenuity of thefe people, that 

 by mere dint of genius, and unaffifted by information, 

 they fhould attain to fuch contrivances and fuch a de- 

 licacy of workmanfhip. 



Yet all that we have faid is furpaffcd by the in- 

 genuity of the Indians in working emeralds, with 

 which they were fupplied from the coaft of Manta, 

 and the countries dependent on the government of 

 Atacames, Coaquis or Qtiaques. But thefe mines 

 are now entirely loll, very probably through negli- 

 gence. Thefe curious emeralds are found in the 

 tombs of the Indians of M ^nta and Acatames : and 

 are, in beauty, fize, and hardneis, fuperiqr to thofe 

 found in the jurifdiclion of Santa Fe ; but what chiefly 

 raifes the admiration of the connoiflpur is, to find them 

 worked, fome in fphericai, fome cylindrical, fome co- 

 nical, and of various other figures ; and all with 

 a perfed: accuracy. But the unfurmountable diffi- 

 culty here is, to explain hov/ they could work a ilone 

 of fuch hardnefs ; it being evident, thar lieel and 

 iron were utterly unknown to them. They pierced , 

 emeralds, and other gem.s, with all the delicacy of 

 ihe prefent times, furnifhed vv'ith fo maiiy tools : and 

 the diredion of the hole js alfo very obfervable *, 

 in fome it palTes through the diameter ; in others, 

 only to the centre of the fione, and coming put at its. 

 circumference they formed triangles at a fnial) dil- 

 tance from one another: and thus the 'figure of thq 

 ilone to sive it relief was varied with the diredion of , 



After 



