Page:The Present State of Peru.djvu/394

344 of the whole of the district of the doctrina of Chavin should be conceded to him, with permission to employ, without the risk of incurring any penalty, all those who should be essential to the operations, he binding himself to pay, for them, the royal tribute which might be due from each of them respectively, &c."

The project having been approved in its full extent, the viceroy, Don Teodoro de Croix, by a commission bearing date the 11th of October, 1788, bestowed on Bezares the appointment of chief magistrate of Chavin de Pariaca and its district, without any salary, for the term of two years, during which a judgment would be formed of the nature and success of his operations. He was enjoined to give an account of them monthly to the supreme authority, to the end that his juridical authority might be protra6ted and extended according to the circumstances.

By virtue of this decree, Bezares took possession of his new government, to the great satisfaction of the settlers and aggregated Indians, who were well acquainted with his estimable qualities. They all of them made an offer to co-operate in the execution of so desirable a project, which would constitute the whole of their felicity. In addition to a large stock of implements, a complete forge had been provided, together with the necessary artisans; and on the 25th of April, 1789, the road was begun at the old town named Urpis, which was considered as the most convenient site for that purpose. Huge trees having been felled, hills of limestone broken up, rugged mountains cut through, palisadocs planted, and the earth raised and banked in the hollow places named sartenejas, the works were carried to the bridge of Chiachima over the river Monzon. At this