Peruvian province of Maynas, furnished the
viceroy with a ground of complaint, real or pretended. He set forth
that the Portuguese of the eastern parts of South America intended to
make themselves masters of Peru, and conjointly with the Inquisition
he commenced coercive measures against them. Their consul was accused
of heresy, condemned and hanged, and the emigrants were pursued and
put to death. Some of them escaped into the forests, where they were
massacred by the Indians, and only a very few succeeded in getting
back to Brazil. Many of the wealthy Portuguese mine-owners, seeing the
danger that threatened them, sank their vast treasures in lakes, or
buried them in retired places in the plains. These treasures consisted
chiefly of smelted ore and silver coin, and only a very small portion
was afterwards discovered. Thus were these active and intelligent
mine-owners sacrificed, either to a chimerical and unfounded
suspicion, or to a feeling of avarice, which, after all, failed in
attaining its object. The consequences were disastrous to the country.
Peruvian mining has never recovered the prosperity which it enjoyed
under the management of the Portuguese.

Between Yauli and Pachachaca the way is difficult, and without an
accurate knowledge of the route, the traveller is likely to lose his
way, and may even incur the danger of sinking in the marshes which
spread along the bank of the river. From Pachachaca a broad and gentle
sloping valley conducts to La Oroya, a distance of about three leagues.
In the range of mountains forming the southern boundary of this valley,
the river winds its way through deep ravines. About half a league from
Pachachaca there is a ford where the road divides; one division passing
over the steep mountains of Yanaclara to Jauja, and the other running
into the wild valleys of Huayhuay. Midway between Pachachaca and La
Oroya there is a small, miserable Indian village called Saco, which is
seldom visited by travellers, as it is difficult to procure in it the
commonest necessaries of food. In this place there is a natural bridge
across the river, which has worked out a bed for itself beneath the
rocks. At several points along the course of this river I observed
similar bridges of rock, but this one only is passable for horses.

La Oroya lies on the left bank of the river of that name, and
communicates with the right bank by means of a large hanging bridge
(Puente de Soga). These bridges are compo