Productions of the Spanish colonies.

From this brief furvey, fome idea may be formed of the interior ftate of the Spanish colonies. The various productions with which they fupply and enrich the mother-country, and the fyftem of commercial intercourfe between them, come next in order to be explained. If the dominions of Spain in the New World had been of fuch moderate extent, as bore a due proportion to the parent state, the progress of her colonizing might have been attended with the fame benefit as that of other nations. But when, in less than half a century, her inconfiderate rapacity had feized on countries larger than all Europe, her inability to fill fuch vaft regions with a number of inhabitants fufficient for the cultivation of them, was fo obvious, as to give a wrong direction to all the efforts of the colonifts. They did not form compact fettlements, where industry, circumfcribed within proper limits, both in its views and operations, is conducted with that fober perfevering fpirit, which gradually converts whatever is in its poffeffion to a proper ufe, and derives thence the greatest advantage. Inftead of this, the Spaniards, feduced by the boundless profpect which opened to them, divided their poffeffions in America into governments of vaft extent. As their number was too small to attempt the regular culture of the

immenfe provinces, which they occupied ra ther than peopled, they bent their attention to a few objects, that allured them with hopes of fudden and exorbitant gain, and turned away with contempt from the humbler paths of industry, which lead more flowly, but with greater certainty, to wealth and increafe of national ftrength.

From their mines.

Of all the methods by which riches may be acquired, that of fearching for the precious metals is one of the moft inviting to men, who are either unaccustomed to the regular affiduity with which the culture of the earth and the operations of commerce must be carried on, or fo enterprifing and rapacious as not to be fatisfied with the gradual returns of profit which they yield. Accordingly, as foon as the feveral countries in America were fubjected to the dominion of Spain, this was almoft the only method of acquiring wealth which occurred to the adventurers, by whom they were conquered. Such provinces of the continent as did not allure them to fettle, by the profpect to their affording gold and filver, were totally neglected. Those in which they met with a disappointment of the fanguine expectations they had formed, were abandoned. Even the value of the islands, the first fruits of their difcoveries, and the firft object of

their attention, funk fo much in their estimation, when the mines which had been opened in them were exhaufted, that they were deferted by many of the planters, and left to be occupied by more induftrious poffeffors. All crowded to Mexico and Peru, where the vaft quantities of gold and filver found among the natives, who fearched for them with little induftry and lefs fkill, promised an unexhausted ftore, as the recompence of more intelligent and perfevering efforts.

Discovery of those of Potofi and Sacotecas.

During feveral years, the ardour of their researches was kept up by hope, rather than fuccefs. At length, the rich filver mines of Potofi, in Peru, were accidentally discovered in the year 1545, i) by an Indian, as he was clambering up the mountain, in purfuit, of a Llama which had ftrayed from his flock. Soon after the mines of Sacotecas, in New Spain, little inferior to the other in value, were opened. From that time, fucceffive difcoveries have been made in both colonies, and filver mines are now fo numerous, that the working of them, and of fome few mines of gold in the provinces of Tierra Firmè and the new kingdom of Granada, has become the capital occupation of the Spaniards, and is reduc

) Fernandez, p. i. lib. xi. c. II.

ed into a fyftem no lefs complicated than interefting. To defcribe the nature of the various ores, the mode of extracting them from the bowels of the earth, and to explain the feveral proceffes by which the metals are feparated from the fubftances with which they are mingled, either by the action of fire, or the attractive powers of mercury, is the province, of the natural philofopher or chymift, rather than of the hiftorian.

Rlches which they yield.

The exuberant profufion with which the mountains of the New World poured forth their treasures, aftonithed mankind, accuftomed hitherto to receive a penurious fupply of the precious metals, from the more fcanty ftores contained in the mines of the ancient hemifphere. According to principles of computation, which appear to be extremely moderate, the quantity of gold and filver that has been regularly entered in the ports of Spain, is equal in value to four millions fterling annually, reckoning from the year 1492, in which America was discovered, to the prefent time. This, in two hundred and eighty-three years amounts to eleven hundred and thirty-two millions. Immenfe as this fum is, the Spanish writers contend, that as much more ought to be added to it, in confideration of the treasure which has been extracted from the mines, without

paying duty to the king. By this account Spain has drawn from the New World a supply of wealth, amounting at least to two thousand millions of pounds fterling. k)

Spirit to which this gives rife.

The mines, which have yielded this amazing quantity of treasure, are not worked at the expence of the crown, or of the publick.. In order to encourage private adventurers, the perfon who difcovers a new vein, is entitled to the property of it. Upon laying his claim before the governor of the province, a certain extent of land is measured off, and a certain number of Indians allotted him, under the obligation of his opening the mine within a limited time, and of his paying the customary duty to the king, for what it fhall produce. Invited by the facility with which fuch grants are obtained, and encouraged by fome ftriking examples of fuccefs in this line of adventure; not only the fanguine and the bold, but the thnid and diffident enter upon it with astonishing ardour. With vaft objects always in view, fed continually with hope, and expecting every moment that fortune will unveil her fecret: ftores, and give them up to their wifhes, they deem every other occupation infipid and uninterefting. The charms of this purfuit, like

tke

k) Uztariz Theor. y Pract. de Commercia, c. 3. Herrera, dec. 8. lib. xi. c. 15, See NOTE ́LXI,