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mines in the vicinity. Here a road may be opened without difficulty to the town of Xacas, belonging to the jurisdiction of Chavin. The Indians being sensible that such an enterprise is of extreme importance, to the provinces of Guamalies, have made a voluntary offer to the chief magistrate, Don Juan de Bezares, to cut the road in question, on the simple condition of being supplied with provisions and the necessary working tools. Their proposition has been accepted; and in a little time the operations will be begun.^[1] From the river Aucantagua, the traveller has to proceed a league to the town of Caunarapa, where the same fertility is discernible in various plantations of coca and other useful productions. Two leagues further lies the town of Monzon, situated on the bank of the river of the same name: it formerly boasted a numerous population, which is now reduced to six tributary Indians, with their families, and a few mestizos. In the vicinity of this town, there are several metallic veins, some of which are worked. Having passed a short league beyond Monzon, the traveller arrives at the plain of Pucara, by which is implied the plain of blood, in allusion to a battle said to have been fought there between the Spaniards and barbarians. The ruins of the town formerly inhabited by the latter, are to be seen on the bank of the above river, which flows to the right in its descent. Somewhat higher than the plain of Pucara, lies the great quebrada, or marshy ground, of Insuro: it is so wide and extensive, that it may be named a valley. It formerly contained several towns, the ruins of which are still to be seen, the principal ones having been Insuro, Paucaco, and Ascension. Don Juan de Bezares, aware of the facility with which a road might be opened from this site to the town of Patairrhondos, and to the city of Huanuco, drew up a plan, which he presented to the viceroy, pointing out all the benefits that would result from such an undertaking. Delays having arisen from a reference to the sub-delegate of the province, the impatience of the above public-spirited individual has led him to commence this very useful enterprise. Three leagues beyond Pucara, without quitting the bank of the river, the traveller arrives at the ruins of the town of Pampeteco, from which the valley took its name, and in which the Jesuits had their last conversion. Here it is that Bezares introduced the breed of black cattle,^[2] which cannot fail to thrive on grounds abounding in such excellent pastures, and so well cleared. He is now employed in augmenting the population of the first settlement of Chicoplaya, distant one league from the above site.

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1. This itinerary bears the date of 1791.
2. Referred to under the head of Topography, p. 345.

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