Page 269
An. 1686
City, and Silver Mines of Compoftella.
marcht with the reft to the Town. He fet out from the Canoas at 6 a clock in the morning, and reacht the Town by 10. The way thro which he paffed was very plain, part of it Wood-land, part Savannahs. The Savannahs were full of Horfes, Bulls and Cows. The Spaniards feeing him coming run all away; fo he entered the Town without the leaft oppofition.
This Town of Santa Pecaque ftands on a Plain, in a Savannah, by the fide of a VVood, with many Fruit Trees about it. It is but a fmall Town, but very regular, after the Spanifh mode, with a Parade in the midft. The Houfes fronting the Parade had all Balconies: there were 2 Churches; one againft the Parade, the other at the end of the Town. It is inhabited moft with Spaniards. Their chiefeft occupation is Husbandry. There are alfo fome Carriers, who are imployed by the Merchants of Compoftella, to trade for them to, and from the Mines.
Compoftella is a rich Town, about 21 leagues from hence. It is the chiefeft in all this part of the King- dom, and is reported to have 70 white Families : which is a great matter in thefe parts; for it may be that fuch a Town hath not lefs than 500 Fami- lies of copper-coloured People, befides the white. The Silver Mines are about 5 or 6 leagues from Santa Pecaque; where, as we were told, the Inha- bitants of Compoftella had fome hundreds of Slaves at work. The Silver here, and all over the King- dom of Mexico, is faid to be finer and richer in pro- portion than that of Potoft or Peru, tho the Oar be not fo abundant; and the Carriers of this Town of Santa Pecaque carry the Oar to Compoftella, where it is refined. Thefe Carriers or Sutlers alfo furnifh the Slaves at the Mines with Maiz, whereof here was great plenty now in the Town defigned for that ufe : here was alfo Sugar, Salt, and Salt-fifh.
Captain