An Account of a Voyage up the River de la Plata, and thence over land to Peru
Mons. Acarete du Bifcay
Helados Group
London
Printed for S. Bucklet
1698
With Observations on the Inhabitants, as well Indians and Spainards, the Cities, Commerce, Fertility, and Riches of that Part of America.
A Description of the City of Potosi, and the Mines there
42 A Voyage to Peru
I was no sooner alighted from my Horse, at a Merchants House to whom I had been recommended, but I was conducted by him to the, President of the Provinces of Los Charcas, to whom the Order I carried from the King of Spain was directed, as the Principal Director of his CatholickCatholic Majesty's Affairs in this Province, in which Potosi is Situate, which is the place of his Ordinary Residence, altho' although the City de la Plata is the Capital. After I had deliver'd delivered the Order to him, I was brought to the Corregidor, to deliver that which belong'd belonged to him, and afterwards to thofe other Officers for whom I brought Orders; they all receiv'd received me very well, particularly the President, who presented me with a Chain of Gold for the good News I had brought himn him.
But before we go any farther 'tis this convenient I should give some description of the City of Potosi, as I have done of
others.
up the R. de la Plata 43
others. The Spaniards call it the Imperial City, but no body could ever tell me for what reason; 'tis this Situate at the Foot of a Mountain, call'd called Arazassou, and divided: in the midst by a River, which comes from a Lake inclos'd inclosed with Walls, which lies about a quarter a League above the City, and is a kind of reserver to hold the Water that is necessary for the Work-houses of that part of the City, which is on this side ot the River, over against the Mountain, is rais'd raised upon a little Hill, and is the largest and most inhabited part; for on that which is on the side of the Mountain, there's scarce any thing but Engines and the Houses of those that Work in 'em. The City has neither Walls, Ditches, nor Forts for its defence, there are reckon'd to be 4000 Houses well built of good Stone, with several Floors, after the manner of the Buildings in Spain. The Churches are well made, and all richly adorn'd adorned with Plate, Tapestry, and other Ornaments, and above all those of the Monks and Nunns, of whom there are several Convents of different Orders, which are very well furnish'd furnished. This is not the least populous City of Peru, with Spaniards, Mestices,
Stran-
44 A Voyage to Peru
Strangers, and Natives (which last the Spaniards call Indios) with Moulatos and Negroes. They count there are between 3 and 4000 Natural Spaniards bearing Arms, who have the Reputation of being very stout Men and good Souldiers, The number of the Mestices is not much less, nor are they less expert at a Weapon, but the greatest part of 'em, are Idle, apt to quarrel and Treacherous, therefore they commonly wear Three or Four Buff-wast-coats one upon another, which are proof against the point of a Sword, to secure themselves from private stabs. The Strangers there are but few, there are some Dutch, Irist, and Genoese; and some French, most of whom are of St. Malo, Provence or Bayonne, and pass for People of Navarre and Biscaye. As for the Indians they are reckon'dreckoned to amount to near 10000 besides the Moulatos and the Blacks: but they are not permitted to wear either Swords or Fire-Arms, no not their Couracas and Caciques, tho' though they may all aspire to any degree of Knight-hood, and to Benefices, to which they are often rais'd raised, for their laudable Actions, and good Services. They are also forbidden to wear the Spanish habit, but
are
up the R. de la Plata 45
are oblig'd obliged to cloath themselves in a different manner, in a close-coat without sleeves, which they wear next their Shirts, to which their Band and lac'd laced Cuffs are fasten'd fastened, their Breeches are wide at bottom after the French fashion; their Legs and Feet naked. The Blacks and Moulatos being in the Service of the Spaniards, are habited after the Spanish Mode, and may bear Arms, and all the Indian Slaves after Ten Years service are set at liberty, and have the same privileges with the others. The Government of this City is very exact, by the Care which is taken by Twenty four Magistrates, who are constantly observing, that good orders be kept in it; besides the Corregidor and President of Los Charcas, who directs Officers after the manner of Spain. It is to be observ'd observed, that excepting these two Principal Officers, as well at Potosi as every where else in the Indies, all the People, whether Knights, Gentlemen, Officers or others, are concern'd concerned in Commerce; of which some of them make so great an advantage, that in the City of Potosi, there are some reckon'd reckoned to be worth. Two, some Three, and some Four Millions of Crowns; and a great many worth Two,
Three,
46 A Voyage to Peru
Three or Four hundred thousand Crowns. The common People to live much at their ease, but are all proud and fine, either haughty, and always go very in Cloth of Gold and Silver, or in Scarlet, or Silk trimmed with a great deal of Gold and Silver-Lace. The Furniture of their Houses is very Rich, for they are generally serv'd served in Plate. The Wives both of Gentlemen and Citizens, are kept very close, to a degree beyond what they are in Spain; they never go abroad, unless it be to go to Mass, or to make some Visit, or to some publick public Feast; and that but rarely. The Women here are generally addicted to excess in taking Coca: This is a Plant that comes from the side of Cusco which when it is made up in Rowls and dry'd dried they chew, as some do Tobacco; they are so heated, and sometimes absolutely fuddled by it, that they have no command of themselves at all: 'Tis This likewise often us'd used by the Men, and has the same effects upon them. They are otherwise very Temperate in eating and drinking, tho' though they have before dwelt in places well stor'd stored with all sort of Provisions, as Beef, Mutton, Fowls, Venizon, raw and preserv'd preserved Fruits, Corn and Wine,
which
up the R. de la Plata 47
which are brought hither from other parts, and some from a great distance, which makes these Commodities dear, so that the meaner sort of People; especially those that have very little before-hand, would find it hard enough to live there, if Money were not very plenty, and easie to be got by them that are willing to work.
The best and finest Silver in all the Indies, is that of the Mines of Potosi, the principal of which are found in the Mountain of Aranzasse, where besides the prodigious quantities of Silver that have been taken out of Veins, in which the Mettal evidently appear'd appeared, and which are now exhausted, there is almost as great quantities of it found in places where they had not digg'd dug before; nay from some of the Earth which they threw aside formerly when they open'd opened the Mines and made Pits, and Cross-ways in the Mountains, they have taken Silver, and have found by this, that the Silver has been form'd formed since that time, which shews how proper the Quality of this Ground is for the production of that Metal: But indeed this Earth does not vield so much as the Mines that are found by Veins among the Rocks.