€h. I. SOUTH AMERICA. H 



distempers arc admitted, it is particularly famous for 

 the eiuT of tlie French disease, which is not a little 

 forwarded by the nature of the climate. Accordingly 

 there is here a g;reat resort of persons infected with 

 that infamous distemper ; and are restored to their 

 former lieaith by a less quantity of a specific than is 

 ■used in other countri?s, and also with greater ease and 

 expedition. 



As the whole territory of this jurisdiction with- 

 in Valles produces only the aig-arroba, maize, 

 cotton, o-rain, a few fruiis and esculent vegetables, 

 most of the inhabitants applv themselves to the breed- 

 ing of goafs, great numbers of which are continu- 

 ally sold for slaughter, and from tlieir fat they make 

 soap, for which they are sure of a good market at 

 Lima, Quito, and Panama; their skins are dressed 

 into leather called Cordovan, and for which there is 

 also a great demand at the above cities. Another 

 branch of its commerce is the Cabuya, or Piia, a 

 kind of plant from Avheiice a very line and stron^^ 

 thread is made; aiíd which abounds in tlie moun- 

 tainous parts of its jurisdicliíííi. Great advantages 

 are also made from their males ; as all tliC goods sent 

 from Quito to Lima, and also tlioso coming frotu 

 Spain, and landed at the pori of Paita, cannot be for- 

 warded to the places they arc consigned to but by 

 the mules of tins province; and from the immense 

 cjuantity of goods coming from all parts, some 

 idea may be formed of the ntViuber of beasts cm- 

 ployed in this trade, which coiitiinies more or less 

 throughout the ye-ir, but is prodigious when the 

 rivers are sh.allow. 



Don George Juan being avrived at Pi'ura, every 

 thing was got ready with the i-trnost dispatch, and 

 on the 21st we couiinued o^u- j'jurney. The next 

 day we reached the town oi' Sechura, ten lea<.rii:es 

 distant from Piura, itccoiding lo tlie time we were 



tr^ivel- 



