WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 383 



traversing over i,ooo leagues of country inhabited by different tribes. 

 The city of Zamora was estabHshed by Captain IMercadillo in the 

 year 1549; it has the same elevation and parallel as Loja, but to 

 the E. The climate of this city is hot and somewhat unhealthy, but 

 it is very rich in high-grade gold ; in fact, they have found nuggets 

 of virgin gold weighing 12 pounds, and many nuggets of i pound, 

 4 pounds, and over. But though this province and its neighborhood 

 is so rich in this metal, it is poor and lacks sufficient population to 

 exploit it. 



1137. The city has a few Spanish residents, with a parish church 

 and a Franciscan convent. The country is wooded and it rains most 

 of the year. They raise corn and other cereals, root crops and fruit, 

 and the Zamora figs so famous in all that kingdom. All the rivers 

 and watercourses in its district carry much gold of high quality. 

 It has excellent salt deposits, and the salt they make supplies all the 

 country. There are other remarkable features which it is impossible 

 to enumerate. 



1138. The Province and State of Zaguarzongo, which was subdued 

 by Gov. Juan de (blank; Salinas?) is 20 leagues from Zamora 

 across the Cordillera, and 40 ESE. from the city of Loja. It is all 

 hot country with much high-grade nugget gold, which is found 

 everywhere, for it is paved with this metal. 



1139. The city of Valladolid was established in these provinces and 

 this State ; it has a few Spanish residents, and is 40 leagues from 

 Loja, at 6° S. This city of Cumbinama is 16 leagues E. of Valladolid, 

 and 50 leagues farther E. is the city of Santiago de Las Montanas, 

 at which point is the boundary with the district of the city of Jaen 

 de Bracamoros. Thus the city of Santiago de Las Montafias is 194 

 leagues from Quito, over very rough and difificult trails, most of 

 the way through uninhabited country ; and for this reason the people 

 in this country, both Spaniards and Indians, have never seen a Bishop 

 and consequently have never enjoyed the Holy Sacrament of con- 

 firmation. 



1140. It is an unfortunate circumstance that for this reason they 

 lack spiritual profit and consolation ; but it can all be remedied by 

 establishing another Bishop in the city of Cuenca or Loja; that is 

 halfway, and from there he can more easily visit and comfort his 

 parishioners and those provinces will grow, because the Indians 

 bordering on them will be converted to the knowledge of our Holy 

 Faith. 



1141. In this region of Santiago de Las Montanas there are many 

 forms of gold, all of it high grade, over 23 carats. There are very 



