the South -Sea. 183 



fmalleft Number. There is a Corregidor, or chief Magi- 

 ftrate, and a Cabildo, or Council for the Adminiftration 

 of Juftice, and very often a Judge to hinder the Commerce 

 with the French, and the Fraud of the Mattes of Silver," 

 which they bring from the Mines. 



When the French were not permitted to go to trade at 

 CallaOy that was one of the beft Ports for Trade ; becaufe 

 it is naturally the Mart for the Towns of lea, Guanca- 

 velica, Guamanga and Andagaylas, and for all thofe that 

 lie to the Northward of Lima. 



lea is a Town three times as populous as Pifco ; they Ica Tmw- 

 drive a Trade there of Glafs made with Saltpeter ; it is 

 green, foul, and ill wrought y there is alfo ftore of Wine 

 and Brandy. 



Guancavelica is a fmall Town of about 100 Families^ Guancavcli- 

 60 Leagues from Pifco y rich and famous for the vaft Quan- car<w * v 

 tity of Quickfilver taken there from a Mine, which is 40 

 Vara?, or Spanijh Yards in Front, and which alone fur- 

 nifties all the Gold and Silver Mills in that Kingdom. Quid-fiver 

 Private Perfons work there at their own Expence, and are Mine. 

 obliged to deliver up to the King all they get, under Pain 

 of Forfeiture of their Eftates, Banifliment, and perpetual 

 Servitude at Baldwin. His Majefty pays a fet rate for the 

 fame^ which at prefent is 60 Pieces of Eight the Quintal, 

 or Hundred Weight, upon the Spot ; and he fells it for 

 80,. at the remote Mines. When a fuffieient Quantity has 

 been taken out, the King caufes the Mouth of tlie Mine to 

 be ftopp'd up, and no Man can have any but what comes 

 from his Stores. 



The Earth or Mineral, which contains the Quick-filver, 

 is of a whitifh Red, like ill-burnt Brick; they pound and 

 put it into an Earthen Furnace, the Head or Top where- 

 of is a Vault like the top of an Oven, a little Spheroid. 

 They lay it on an Iron Grate cover'd with Earth, under 

 which they keep afmali Fire made of the Shrub they call 

 Ich& y which is properer for that purpofe than any other ! 

 combuftible Matter 1 for which Reafon there is a Prohibi- 

 tion : 



