$56 
vagabonds; and continued to be worked 
svithout obfervancé of the mine-laws and 
regulations, as if merely for the fake of 
plunder; and the moft of them are even at 
prefent in this wretched condition. If 
Peru, Chili, and Buenos-Ayres, poffeffed 
the fame advantages as the more populous 
and induftrious kingdom of Mexico, where 
royal and private banks’ are eftablithed for 
the f{upport and furthering of the mines, 
and where,.as it is lefs diftant from the 
mother-country, a ftricter obedience is 
paid to the laws, and a better{fyftem of po- 

Travels in South America. 
[ December, - 
; i 
licy and economy prevails—Peru (where 
every thing {till remains in a ftate of cha- 
otic confufion) might alone furnifh annu- 
ally a four times greater quantity of gold 
and filver than Mexico, which abounds 
lefs with thefe precious metals. But this 
is very far from being the cafe. From 
authentic regifters tranfmitted to the Go- 
vernors of the different provinces, it ap-. 
pears that, from the 1ft of January to the 
31ft of December 1790, they coined in the 
royal mints 


In Gold. In Silver. Total. 
At Mexico 628,044 Piaftres; 17,435,644 Piaftres; 18,063,638 Piaftres 
At Lima S253;568 - “= ~ 4,241,071 .~. i=. = < §g802 ge ee 
At Potoi 299,846’ - - ~ 3,003,176 = (= = 4,283,022 
At Si7de0 | Ge3.754 a) 146,132 - = - 867,386 
Total 2, 470j812 25,906,023 28,396,835 

This would give (eftimating the mark 
of refined Gilver at 84, and the mark of re- 
fined gold at 136 piaftres) 18,169 marks 
of fine pure gold, and 3,338,428 marks of 
pure fiiver*. If to thefe {ums we add the 
gold and fiilver fabricated into various 
utenfils for churches, convents, and pri- 
vate perfons ; and the fums clandeftinely 
exported by the merchants without being 
coined, which, according to Helms, amaunt 
toa third; according to Robertfon, even 
to one-half of the whcle of the precious 
metals; we m2y vénture, with Helms, to 
eftimate the whole annual produce at more 
than fity millions of piaftres. 
We thall conciude with fome remarks 
on the character and manners of the inha- 
bitants of the Spanifh provinces, in 
South America. The converted Indians, 
who are ftyled Fideles, in contradiftin@tion 
to the favages, whom they call Barbaros, 
Infideles, or Brawoes, are of a very obe- 
dient and patient difpofirion; but, frem 
their abje& ftate of fubjection, and the op- 
prefion of the {ub-dclegates, very timid 
and fufpicious. To draw from their cha- 
) racter an inference re{peéting that of the 

* According to other ftatements of Helms, 
766,768 piaftres in gold, and 3,570,000 
piaftres in filver, were in the year 1789 coined 
in Lima; and in 1790, 6038 marks of gold, 
and §34,000.marks of filver; making in the 
whole 5,162,239 piaftres. The lat ftate- 
gnents do not agree; and therefore in the 
above calculation the amount has been reck- 
oned at only 510,714 marks of filver. The 
annual coinage of filver at Potofi thould be 
from: 550,000 to 600,0c0; and of gold about 
2c00 marks. In 1790 it amounted to no 
more than 468,609 marks of filver; and 
2204 marks of gold, ~ Te ae 


wild Indians, it feems not improbable, 
that if they enjoyed a better education, 
and milder treatment, they would become 
one of the beft nations on earth; for in 
their interccurfe among themfelves they 
give ftranger proofs of humanity and the 
love of juitices and betray lefs felfifhnefs 
and lefs foolifli pride, than the Crecles; 
and evince a quick fenfe of rignt and 
wrong. Thew colour refembles dark 
bronze; they have an agreeable phyfio- 
gnomy, and ftrong-built limbs; are of a 
middle ftature; and endowed with an ex- 
cellent underitanding ;, and rather of a 
penfive and melancholy than lively difpofi- 
tion. Being efteemed the moft laborious 
and diligent of the various clafles of men 
found here, fuch as Spaniards, Creoles, 
Mulattoes, Samboes, Negroes, and Mefti- 
zoes, the Indians are employed in the 
greateft part of South America in mining, 
pafturage and agriculture; and in Peru 
likewite as domeftic fervants; as in the 
‘mountains the Negroes, like the Euro- 
peans, cannot endure the daily alterna- 
tions of heat and cold, but become fickly, 
and foon die an untimely death. ’ 
The Creole, a defcendant of American- 
Spaniards, is of a brown complexion, and 
differs in every refpeét from his‘anceftors? 
Though born with a genius capable of at- 
taining whatever ennobles humanity, yet, 
from an education in the higheft degree 
neglected, he becomes lazy, licentious, 
and indelicate in his converfation; an hy- 
pocrite, and infected with a blind and ma- 
lignant fanaticifm.—He tyrannizes over 
his flaves; but, in general, through his 
inordinate ]uft and amours, ‘is himielf en- 
flaved by his Mulattefles and Negrefles, 
who rule him with de{patic fway.: a 
sal ea ges) the 

