Discovery of the Mines of Potosi.
There are many silver mines in Potosi. They were first discovered by an Indian called Hualpa, who was scampering up the side of a mountain, after some wild animal. Finding that it had jumped up a steep place quicker than he could, and determining to follow it, he laid hold of a branch of a shrub, to assist him in climbing. But instead of assisting him, it broke in his hand, or rather it was torn up, root and all, out of the earth. He was, however, repaid for his disappointment, by the sight of something bright in the hole which the plant had come from. He soon discovered this to be a lump of silver, and he found several small bits sticking about the roots. These he picked up carefully, and home he went with great joy. Right glad was he to have found such a treasure.
He returned to the mine whenever he was in want of money; and by-and-by he became so much better in his circumstances, that his neighbors began to wonder at it. So at last he told one of his friends about his discovery, and shewed him the place where the silver was to be found. They went on for some time very peaceably, but at length a disagreement arose, because Hualpa would not tell how he purified the silver. The Indian was so angry at this, that he went and told the whole story to a Spaniard. The mine being once found out, the Spaniards soon took possession of the whole, and the poor Indians got no more of the silver. This was in the year 1545.