return. When
it is recollected that at that period the voyage from Callao to Spain
occupied from twelve to sixteen months, some idea may be formed of the
enormous wealth of Salcedo and his mine. The viceroy rejected this
proposition, ordered Salcedo to be hanged, and set out for Puno to take
possession of the mine.[73]

But this cruel and unjust proceeding failed in the attainment of its
object. As soon as Salcedo's death-doom was pronounced, his
mother-in-law, accompanied by a number of relations and friends,
repaired to the mine, flooded it with water, destroyed the works, and
closed up the entrance so effectually that it was impossible to trace it
out. They then dispersed; but some of them, who were afterwards
captured, could not be induced, either by promises or tortures, to
reveal the position of the mouth of the mine, which to this day remains
undiscovered. All that is known about it is that it was situated in the
neighborhood of Cerro de Laycacota and Cananchari.

Another extraordinary example of the productiveness of the Peruvian
mines, is found at San Jose, in the department of Huancavelica. The
owner of the mines of San Jose requested the viceroy Castro, whose
friend he was, to become godfather to his first child. The viceroy
consented, but at the time fixed for the christening, some important
affair of state prevented him from quitting the capital, and he sent
the vice-queen to officiate as his proxy. To render honor to his
illustrious guest, the owner of the San Jose mines laid down a triple
row of silver bars along the whole way (and it was no very short
distance), from his house to church. Over this silver pavement the
vice-queen accompanied the infant to the church, where it was
baptized. On her return, her munificent host presented to her the
whole of the silver road, in token of his gratitude for the honor she
had conferred on him. Since that time, the mines and the province in
which they are situated have borne the name of Castrovireyna. In most
of these mines the works have been discontinued. Owing to defective
arrangements, one of the richest of these mines fell in, and 122
workmen were buried in the ruins. Since that catastrophe, the Indians
refuse to enter the mines. Many stories are related of spirits and
apparitions said to haunt the mines of Castrovireyna. I was surprised
to hear these tales, for the imagination of the Indian miners is not
very fertile in the creation of this sort of superstit