the South- Sea. 1 67 



Indian?, who are ufed to it, arc obliged to relieve one ano- 

 ther alternatively, almod every Day. 



It has alfo happened fometimes, that in working in cer- 

 tain Parts of the Mines, peftilential Exhalations have broke 

 cut, which have kilfd' the Workmen upon the Spot ; fo 

 that they have been forced? to abandon them. For the 

 fame Reafon in thofe Hungarian Silver and Gold Mines, 

 which are clayifli and fo glutinous, that they are obliged flayifbMneu 

 to make good Fires to dry them ; the Workmen are ob- 

 liged to get out immediately. Thofe Sorts of clayifli Mines 

 are in all Likelihood very rare in Peru ; for I have never 

 heard of them. 



The Indian?, to preferve themfelves againflf the ill Air Coca rPhp* 

 they breathe in the. Mines, are there continually chewing wtivc- 

 €oca± a Sort of Betele, and they pretend that without ir 

 they could not work there. 



The Mines which at prefent yield moft Silver, are thofe 

 of Oruro^ a littlt Town eighty Leagues from Arica. In 

 the Year 171 2, one fo rich was found at Ollachea, m^vRkhMmn 

 Ctifco, that it yielded 2500 Marks, of 8 Ounces each^ out 

 of every Cheft; that is, almoft one fifth Part of the Ore r 

 but k has declined much, and is now reckon'd but among 

 the ordinary Sort. Next to thefe are thofe o(Liper, which 

 have had the fame Fate. Laftly, thofe of Potofi yield lit- 

 tle, and* caufe a great Expenee, by reafon of their grea£ 

 Depths 



As for Gold Mines, they are very rare in the South P&rvcold Mines 

 of Few; there are none but in the Province of Guanucorart m Peru, 

 towards Lima ; in that of the Chichdr, where the Town oB 

 Tarijais, and at Chuquiaguillo, two Leagues from La Paz, 

 and other Places there-abojit, which for that Reafon are in* 

 the Indian Tongue calVdChuquiago, fignifying a Houfe, or 

 Farm- of Gold. There are therein fhort,very plentiful Wafh- 

 ing-places r where Grains of Virgin or Pure Gold have been /^^^^ 

 found of a prodigious Magnitude > two among the vt^ef Goll 

 one of which, weighing 64 Marks and fome odd Ounces, 

 (;he Mark, as has been often faid 3 being eight Ounces) was 



bought^ 



