141 A Voyage to 



know to be of any Value $ thefe are 14 or xy Leagues from 

 Copiapo, near a Place where there are many Lead Mines. 

 In lliort, all the Country is there full of Mines of Sal Gemm, 

 for which reafon fweet Water is there very fcarce : Salt- 

 peter is no lefs plentiful, being found in the Vales an Inch 

 thick on the Ground. 



On the high Mountains of the Chain calPd La Cordillera, 

 40 Leagues E.S. E. from the Port, there are Mines of the 

 Sulphur. fincft Sulphur that can be feen : It is taken pure from a Vein 

 two Foot wide, without needing to be cleans'd. It is 

 worth three Pieces of Eight a Quintal, or hundredweight, 

 at the Port, whence it is carry'd to Lima. 



At Copiapo they have alfo a little Trade of Stuff for pay- 

 Rofm. ing of Ships, being a Sort of Rofin coming from a Shrub, 

 the Leaf whereof is like Rofemary ; it proceeds from the 

 Branches, and from the Berries, which they caft into large, 

 fquare Cakes two Foot long, and ten or twelve Inches 

 thick : It is very dry, and only good to ufe inflead of 

 Glazing, for the Earthen Jars in which they keep Wine 

 and Brandy ; it cofts five Pieces of Eight the Quintal, or 

 hundred Weight, in the Port. In other refpe&s the Coun- 

 try is barren, fcarce yielding enough to fubfift the Inhabi- 

 tants, who have their Provifions from about Coquimbo. 

 Guanacos I n the Mountains of this Country there are abundance 

 Beajls. of Guanactis, a Sort of Creature between a Camel and a 

 BcKOdr&oius. w n£ Goat, in whofe Bodies the Bezoar Stones are found; 



formerly of fuch Value in Phyfick, that they were worth 

 their Weight in Silver; but now it has been found out that 

 Crab's Eyes and other Alkali? can ferve inflead of them j 

 they have loft much of their Value in France ; however the 

 Spaniards give great Rates for them ftill. 



Between Copiapo and Coquimbo, which is 100 Leagues, 

 there is no Town nor Village, but only three or four Farms 

 and between Copiapo and Atacama in Peru, the Country is 

 Great Defart. fo hideous and defart, that the. Mules flarve for want of 

 Grafs and Water. In eighty Leagues Length thei^ is but 

 one River, which runs from Sun-rifing till it fets, perhaps 



becaufe 



