54 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AXD ETHNOLOGICAL 



Chor-de-leo- lies at tlie foot of a hill, on whicli are walled terraces, which indi- 

 catc that it may have been a fortified place. 



On my excursion to Chor-de-leg I visited the sugar plantation Schumir (Gerra. 

 spell.), where, as all over the country, the most part of the juice of the cane is 

 converted into rum. I found there, for tlie first time in my travels, a large orchard 

 containing several thousands of fruit trees, occupying eight quadras, each quadra 

 being a square of three hundred feet. But tlie trees were in a deplorable condi- 

 tion, covered with moss and other parasitic plants. 



From Cuenca, travelling south, I passed, on the plain of Targui, the southern 

 monument erected by the French when measuring the meridian, having already 

 seen the northern one in the plain of Yarugui. 



On the slope of the hill near the village of Cnrabe I found traces of ancient 

 walls. In this village I witnessed the celebration of the " Corpus procesion." 

 From all the neighboring country the people came to witness it. That part of it 

 which most attracts them is the dance of the devils, performed by Indians in dis- 

 guise. It is begun in the church, near the altar, before the procession starts. The 

 dancers keep near the officiating priest all the time of the procession, and re-enter- 

 ins the church, conclude with a dance near the altar. 



Three miles south of the village of Nabon I found on the road remains of the 

 walls of an extensive structure three feet high, similar to the Paredones on the 

 Azuai mountain, and called Dumapara. In Ona I was informed of the existence 

 of ruins in three different places, which were called Pucarii, Ingapirca, and Pare- 

 dones. These names indicate that they represented three difi"crent classes of struc- 

 tures : a fortification, a habitation of the Inca, and a building for public use. In 

 the Indian town Saragura, which I passed in my progress, are still preserved some 

 of the ancient customs respecting travellers. Tlicre is a public building (fampii) 

 for their accommodation, and every year three men are elected as governors of this 

 edifice, whose duties consist in providing all necessaries, such as food for himself 

 and his animals ; guides, beasts of burden, etc. The fee they get is a real for 

 each animal provided, and half a real for a guide. I was informed that in the 

 vicinity of the new settlement San Lucas, which was peopled by immigrants from 

 Saragura (the latter place containing, it is said, from 8000 to 12,000 inliabitants), 

 are extensive ruins of ancient edifices known as ruins at the time of the conquest 

 by the Spaniards. These remains are called Tampu bianco. They have been 

 searched for gold, but without success; as is generally the case in that section of 

 the country. 



On my entering Loja the octavo procession of " Corpus'' was being celebrated, 

 which I had seen three days before in Ona. In those countries all festivals last 

 eight successive days, usually commencing a week before the day of the feast. 



Loja is the capital of the province of the same name, and the city of which 

 Bolivar said: "This population is eitlicr nearing its end, or jiLst beginning." It 

 does neither, but continues to be in a state of chronic disorder. There is hardly 

 a house in perfect order ; all are either undergoing repairs or needing them ; and 

 before the repair is finished, that part first done needs repairing again. A letter 

 of recommendation from the Minister of the Interior secured me the attentions of 



