S A VOYAGE TO Book VIT. 



place called Malpas&o, about six leagues from Tum- 

 bcz ; for being a high steep rock. Mashed by the sea 

 during the flood, and the top of it impassable from the 

 many chasms and precipices, there is a necessity of 

 passing between the sea and its bast*, which is about 

 half a league in length. And this must be done 

 before the flood returns, which soon covers this nar- 

 row waj, though it is very safe at low water. During 

 the remainder of this journey, it is equally necessary 

 to consult the tide; for the whole country being sandy, 

 the mules would, from their sinking so deep in it, be 

 tired the first league or two. Accordinglv travellers 

 generally keep along the shore, which being washed 

 by the breaking of the waves, the sand is more com- 

 pact and firm ; and consequently much easier to the 

 beasts. During the winter, there runs through Man- 

 cora a small rividet of fresh water, to the great relief 

 of the mules ; but in summer the little remaining in 

 its course is so brackish, that nothing but absolute 

 necessity can render it tolerable. The banks of this 

 rivulet are so fertile by its water, that it produces 

 such numbers of large algarrobales, as to form a shady 

 forest. 



From Mancora, the road for fourteen leagues runs 

 between barren mountains, at some distance from the 

 coast, with very trQublesomc ascents and declivities, 

 as far as the breach of Parin'tjas ; where the same cau- 

 tions are to be observed as at Mancora, and is the se- 

 cond stage ; from whence the road lies over a sandy 

 plain, ten leagues in length, to the town of Amotape, 

 and at some distance from the coast. 



This town, which stands in 4" oV 4'i south lati- 

 tude, is an appendix to the parish of Tumbez, be- 

 longing to its lieutenancy, and in the jurisdiction of 

 Piura. The houses arc about 30 in number, and 

 composed of the same materials with those of Tum- 

 bez ; but the inhabitants are only Indians and Mesti- 

 zos, A quarter of a league from it is a river of the 



