WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES— VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 367 



the woods. [There are many other noteworthy things one could 

 write about but I omit them, to pass on to the Corregimiento of 

 Latacunga.] 



1108. The town of Latacunga is 12 leagues from Quito on the 

 King's Highway through Peru. It has a cool climate, and is abun- 

 dantly supplied with cheap and excellent provisions. It is a [very] 

 great place for Indians, and many Spaniards have settled down here 

 also. It has a parish church, a very fine Franciscan convent (the 

 first), a Dominican and an Augustinian. It is the residence of a 

 Corregidor appointed by the Viceroy of Peru, who has jurisdiction 

 over this place and the Province of Mulalo, Pansaleo, Aloasi, and 

 the Province of Los Sigchos [nearby] to the W. This is all cold 

 country, with great abundance of excellent products ; they have very 

 large cattle ranches in the district, and especially of merino sheep, 

 for which reason there are many woolen mills in this country ; the 

 most important is the one owned by the Indian community of this 

 town, which turns out one whole piece of cloth every day ; the Indians 

 pay their tribute in it. 



[Chapter IX] 



[Continuing the Description of the Preceding Subject.] 



1109. This town has another remarkable feature, unequaled so far 

 as I know anywhere else in the world ; all its houses are built of 

 the abundant pumice stone cast out by its neighbor the Tunguragua 

 volcano ; although this is in the Torrid Zone [and is] constantly 

 emitting flame, it is always covered with snow ; at its foot it has 

 excellent hot-water baths, ^\•here many invalids come and bathe and 

 recover their health. Almost all the jurisdiction of Latacunga and 

 Sigchos is under the religious instruction of the Franciscans. [It is 

 all cold country.] 



1110. Five leagues from Latacunga is the village of Ambato, 

 which is nine leagues from Riobamba, for which the Corregidor 

 appointed by the Viceroy of Peru, delegates a representative. This 

 place has a springlike climate, and is abundantly supplied with cheap 

 and excellent provisions, with many sorts of local and Spanish fruit, 

 figs, peaches, apples, etc., in quantity ; there is much f rutilla de Chile, 

 i.e., strawberries, [native here,] much larger and better [there] than 

 our tree strawberries. [They are very sweet to eat.] Near this 

 village are those of Pelileo and Patate, where there is a rope bridge 

 to cross the river, which is rather swift and swollen. There are sugar 

 plantations here, and many other villages, such as San Andres and 



