ould the situation of the mine, and died on the following
night. Active measures were immediately set on foot, to trace out the
mine, but without effect. The Indian and all his family had
disappeared, and the mine was never discovered.

In Huancayo there also dwelt a Franciscan monk. He was an inveterate
gamester, and was involved in pecuniary embarrassments. The Indians in
the neighborhood of his dwelling-place were much attached to him, and
frequently sent him presents of poultry, cheese, butter, &c. One day,
after he had been a loser at the gaming-table, he complained bitterly of
his misfortunes to an Indian, who was his particular friend. After some
deliberation, the Indian observed, that possibly he could render him
some assistance; and, accordingly, on the following evening, he brought
him a large bag full of rich silver ore. This present was several times
repeated; but the monk, not satisfied, pressed the Indian to show him
the mine from whence the treasure was drawn. The Indian consented, and
on an appointed night he came, accompanied by two of his comrades, to
the dwelling of the Franciscan. They blindfolded him, and each in turn
carried him on his shoulders to a distance of several leagues, into the
mountain passes. At length they set him down, and the bandage being
removed from his eyes, he discovered that he was in a small and somewhat
shallow shaft, and was surrounded by bright masses of silver. He was
allowed to take as much as he could carry, and when laden with the rich
prize, he was again blindfolded, and conveyed home in the same manner as
he had been brought to the mine. Whilst the Indians were conducting him
home, he hit on the following stratagem. He unfastened his rosary, and
here and there dropped one of the beads, hoping by this means to be
enabled to trace his way back on the following day; but in the course of
a couple of hours his Indian friend again knocked at his door, and
presenting to him a handful of beads, said, "Father, you dropped your
rosary on the way, and I have picked it up."

When I was in Jauja, in the year 1841, an Indian whom I had previously
known, from his having accompanied me on one of my journeys in the
Sierra, came to me and asked me to lend him a crow-bar. I did so, and
after a few days, when he returned it, I observed that the end was
covered with silver. Some time afterwards I learned that this Indian had
been imprisoned by order of the sub-prefect, because he had offe