About five miles from Patavilca, and a hundred and twenty from Lima, is a place called Paramonga, or the Fortalesa. The ruins of a fortified palace of very great extent are here visible; the walls are of tempered clay, about six feet thick; the principal building stood on an eminence, but the walls were continued to the foot of it, like regular circumvallations; the ascent winded round the hill, like a labyrinth, having many angles, which probably served as outworks to defend the place. It is supposed to have belonged to the Chimu or King of Mansichi, and was a frontier palace during the time of the Incas. The oral tradition of the indians says, that at this place the Chimu did homage to Pachacutec, the tenth Inca. Near these ruins is a high rock, which overhangs the sea, called _el serro de la horca_, gallows' hill, because from the top of it all criminals were formerly thrown into the sea. Near the Fortalesa is a very extensive ruin of a town, and a manufactory of saltpetre is established. The salt is obtained by filling large cisterns with the sand taken from the graves or huacas; water is poured on it, and having filtered through the sand, it is drawn off; this is next evaporated and put into large canoes, in which the salt crystallizes. The nitre is very pure, and is carried to Lima and sold at the powder mills. Considerable treasure, both in gold and silver ornaments, has been found, when taking the sand out of the huacas; beside which many curiosities in earthenware, porphyry, basalt and other stones, as well as cotton and woollen garments, have been collected. The value of treasure dug up by different individuals in the year 1813 exceeded twenty thousand dollars. CHAPTER II. Visit to Caxatambo....Roads....Manner of Travelling....Village of Ocros....Cura of Ditto....Indian....Road to Chiquian....Town of Chiquian....Crimes....Mining Laws....Method of working the Ores....Frauds in _Plata Piña_...._Taonas_ and _Ingenios_....Caxatambo...._Repartimientos_....Manufactures.... Inhabitants....Amusements....Road from Caxatambo, _Cuesta_ ....Farm House and Family....Town of Huara....Productions of Huailas....Manufactures of Ditto....Huaras, excellent Mercantile Situation....Province of Conchucos....Produce, &c....Mines.... Oca....Medicinal Plants....Character of Inhabitants....Procession of St. Peter....Localities in the Province....Enter Huamalies.... Productions...._Coca_...._Charquis_....Cinchona....Mines....Eagle Stones....Fruits...._Mulitas_ and _Quiriquineihos_....Character of Inhabitants....Death of the Inca represented....Observations.