Copy 1, Volume 1

A voyage to South-America describing at large the Spanish cities, towns, provinces, &c. on that extensive continent: undertaken by command of the king of Spain, by Don George Juan, and Don Antonio de Ulloa ... Translated from the original Spanish. With notes and observations; and an account of the Brazils / By John Adams, Esq., of Waltham Abbey ... Illustrated with plates.

  • Ulloa, Antonio de, 1716-1795.
Date:
1807
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A voyage to South-America describing at large the Spanish cities, towns, provinces, &c. on that extensive continent: undertaken by command of the king of Spain, by Don George Juan, and Don Antonio de Ulloa ... Translated from the original Spanish. With notes and observations; and an account of the Brazils / By John Adams, Esq., of Waltham Abbey ... Illustrated with plates. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    great numbers of other miners of more limited * circumstances, all eagerly embracing any opportu- nity of employing their substance in undertaking mines. THE governments of Quijos and Majos are no less abundant in mines than the jurisdictions of Qui- to; those in Jaen are of infinite richness; and those of Maynas and Atacames not inferior to’ them. With regard to the first, it is very well known, that the Indians on the banks of the Maranon, by wash- ing the sands of some of the rivers running into it, procure what gold they want, though their desires in this point are as moderate as the avidity of other na+ tions are insatiable. This gold isan evident sign that the adjacent country abounds in mines. As to the second, experience has shewn that the borders of the rivers of Santiago and Miraare full of veins of gold, the Mulattos and Mestizas supplying themselves with that metal by washing the sands. But neither of them have applied themselves to discover the ori- ginal veins. Besides gold and silver mines, the pro- vince of Quito has also those of other metals, and quarries of fine stone : but these are utterly disregard- - ed by the inhabitants. Yet this province could not attain the complete possession of its riches, if to the mines of gold and silver, nature had not added those materials which are necessary in extracting the trea- sures they contain, and in the other services of life: nor could this country be properly said to be rich in mines, if it afforded only those of gold and silver ; but nature, that there might be no deficiency in her gift, hath also furnished it with mines of azogue or quicksilver, which are found in the southern extre- mity of the province, near a village of the same name belonging to the jurisdiction of Cuenca. Formerly the quicksilver for the gold and silver mines was furnished from hence ; but this has been suppressed ; so