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. Royal Commentarie1. BooK VIII.
QQick-filver; the Indians call it Ychma; t~at which -:1cofta calls Llimpi is of a Pur–
ple-colour, and extratte9 from other Mm~ ,; for m thofe C~mnrries they have
Earth of all colours, which ferve us for Pamtmg : But as to thIS curious Crimfon
with which the Indians are fo much affeeted, it is alfo forbidden to be extracted
without licence, leCl: che people venturing themfel es far into the Caverns of the
Earth in che fearcl1--0f it,. fi;ould prejudice their healths, and endanger their fives ;
and therefore the ufe of it is forbidden co the common people, and onely permit..
ted to Ladies of the Royal Bloud ; Men never ufe it, nor Women in years but
fuch onely as are young and handfome; who do not lay it upon their Cheeks as
our Vvomen do in Spain, but onely draw it in ftreaks about die breadth ofa ~w
from the corners of their Eyes to their Temples; and in this manner it fe med
very becoming. Ocher FHcm, or Painting, than this with Yclrma, the PallM or great
Ladies did not ufe, nor was it their adornment of every days drefs, but onely then
"~ hen they would appear fine and \.\ell dreffed upon the days ofthe principal Feafis'
when they alvvays wailied their Faces very clean, as alfo did all the common peo~
• ple. But the truth is, thofe Women who did much avail themfelves of their
beauty, and cleameiS of their skin, would for confervatipn thereof, lay a fort of
white fl:uff like Milk upon it, (of what they made it, for my part I cannot tell·)
but there they let it fl:ick, and remain for the fpace of nine days, at the end ~f
\ hich being well dried, like a fcurf on the skin, they would then take it o~ and
_ the complexion would remain much more bright and clear than before : But as to
the Tchma, the Prohibition that was made againfl: exrraeting of it, caufed it to be
fcarce, and of little ufe. And whereas a certain Authour fays, that the ImJiam
did ufually paint cheir faces in the Wars1 and at their Feftivals, it is a grofs mi–
fiake, though perhaps fome Nations mignt doe it, which were efteemed the moll:
illvage and barbarous. ·
And n are to declare how they melted their Silver, before they found
the ufe of filver : the manner was this. Near to the Mountain Potocchi, or
Potocji, (w ch all one) there is another Mountain in the fame form and !hape,
but not fo great, nor fo high, called by the Indians Huayna Potocfi, or the Potocfi the
Junior, as if they were Father and Son. The Silver, for the moft part, is extracted
from Batun Potocji, or the Elder Potocft ; in melting of which, they at firfl: found
great difficulty, for not being able to make it run, it burnt away, or evaporated in
fmoak ; of which the l»dian.r could not pet=tetrate the caufe, nor difcover a remedy.
But as neceflicy and covetoufnefs make Men ingenious and contriving, fo parri–
cqlarly the Indian; were infinitely indu!l:rious to fined out fome way to Mele their
Gold and Silver ; at length, after many experiments, they happened to cry the mel·
ting of a bafer fore of Metal, which the ldfer Potocft produced, confifiing; for the
mofr part, of Lead mixed with Silver; the whicn yielding more eafily, melced,
and run ; and this being put into the Melting-pots, together \\ ith the fine Silver
and Gold, would immediately caufe them to melt and dHfolve ; for whi h reafoo
the Indian.r gave it the Name of CHr11chec, which fignifies any thing that dHfolves.
In the melting of which Metals, they obferved a certain.-proportion of chis cour–
fer fort, for to fo much Silver they put fuch a quantity of this C1tr11chec, according
as time and experience had informed their judgments; for all forts of ilver were
not of the fame finenefs, though digged and extracted from the fame vein ; fo that
according to the quality and richnefs of the Metal, the quantity of Gm1chec \\as to
be applied. The Silver being thus mixed with more fufible Metal, they melced ic
down in Earthen or Clay-pots, or Cryfobles, \: hich they carried from place co
place : But in regard they had no ufe of Bellows to make the heat of their fire
more intenfe, nor yet ufed Copper Pipes, which we ha e formerly mentioned,
wherewith to blow the .fire; it often happened, that they could not poffibly au[e
their Silver co melt; of which the Jndian1 not being able r comprehend the rea–
fon, did at length conclude, that it rnufl: be a natural blafl of\ ind \Vhi h mu{
doe this ~ ork: But then if the ~ 1ind were mo flrong, it wou d bl w away che
Coles and cool the Metal, fo that a temperate and eafie gale wa requifite : To
procure which, their cuflorne as ro g upon the Hills by night, obferving ho\\
the Winds fate, and there placed their Melting. ot at uch a height, higher r
lower, according as they per ei ed the force of the Wind. Ir w <; a ple:ifJn~ fighl
in thofe days co fee eight, ten twelve or fifteen thoufand f the e ire burmng a
ac the fame time upon the fide f thefe Mountains ranged in order one by th~ o·
ther. The full: tv1elting of the re wa made in rh· m oner on che Mountain ·
lt