66 
varied by large {dains of salt • — ihe nearest water in a natural state is in Pisagua 
14 legs. north of Iquiqui. from whence Iqiiiqui is supplied ■ — to the N. E. is 
a small rivulet at Jilivichi 22 leagues distant, to the east the river of Javapaca 
24 legs. and to the south the river of Loa -35 legs. by sea and 48 to 50 legs. 
by land • — in the present day water is supplied to this mineral and Santa Rosa 
from wells sunk in the pampa where the salpetre is found 7 or 8 legs. distant 
and is brought on asses & mules in bags or odres made of the sinks of the 
Llama. • — The water arrives in the minerals in a half putrid state • — add to 
which it is originally brackish, so that the privation and inconvenience respecting 
this article is extreem, it is sold in the mineral from 5 to 10 or 12 reales pr. 
odre or skin • — ■ w'eighing about 100 or 125 fis at most ■ — this is the only 
supply of water both for man ä* beasts as also for every domestic purpose 
and precludes the possibility of establishing works for the benelicio or smelting 
or amalgamation in or near the Mineral. 
The only plant in this part of the country is a species of Cactus called 
Cardon ■ — and in the spring several kinds of flowers and grapes are scattered 
about the hill round which are only seen for about 2 months in the year and 
spring through the heavy fogs, which rise from the sea about the spring seasdn • — ■ 
these hüls and this very scanty Vegetation is called Llanos and is generali all 
along the coast of Peru. — • 
About 1778, 2 new minerals were discovered about 2 legs. to the 
south of Guantajaia ■ — called El Carmen, which at first has been a source of 
great riches and still contains a considerable quantity of silver • — ■ the veins of 
Sa. Rosa are not so rieh as those of Guantajaia but are more constant as the 
riches of this latter mineral is found generally in accuraulations ol great richness 
called bolsones • — but these are soon cut through and either the silver entirely 
disappears or the ore is so poor that in this place it will not pay ■ — but il 
water and other necessaries were near band and cheaper; still the now unpro- 
ductive ores would yield mauy thousand marc a year and good profit. ■ — 
The populalion in the year 1826 ^ was in Guantajaia 280, in Santa 
Rosa 360 • — and in Iquiqui 280 • — adults. 
There is very little or no sulphur of sulphurised metals in these mine- 
rals . — , the veins first shew' copper, which is very abundant all round about • — 
but the copper at a few' yards below' the surface is soon found to contain a more 
or less portion of silver, at a greater depth, say from 50 to 190 or more yards, 
the copper very often disappears but the vein of calcareous spar in which it and 
