Ch. V. SOUTH AiMERICA. 127 



ibemfelves into Icparate bodies, draw along from 

 Cruces large bales, or any brittle and delicate wares ; 

 the roads here, though the dillance is but fhort by 

 croiling the chain of mountains called the Cordilleras, 

 are in lome parts i'o narrow, that a beafi: of burden 

 can hardly pal's along ; and, conlcquently, an im- 

 minent danger would attend the employing of mules 

 for this fervice. 



This gity, even during the abfencc of the armada, 

 is never without a great number of lirangers; it being 

 the thoroughfare ibr all going to tiie ports of Peru, in 

 the South Sea, as alio for any coming from thence to 

 Spain : to which muit be added, the continual trade 

 carried on by the Peruvian iliips, which bring variety 

 of goods, as meal of difíerent forts, wines, brandv 

 irom grapes, or brandy caiiilia, as it is called by all 

 the Americans in tbcte parts, lugar, tallow, leather, 

 olives, oil, and the like. The fhips from Guayaquil 

 bring cacao, and quincjuina or jeluits bark; which 

 always meet with a quick exporlation here, efpecially 

 in time of peace. All goods, particularly thole of 

 Peru, are fubjeél to great alterations in their prices, fo 

 that on many occaiions the ovvucrs loie conliderably, 

 and ibmetimes their whole purchafe : on the other 

 hand, there are favourable opportunities, when 

 they triple it, according to the plenty or fcarcity of 

 the commodity. The diiierent torts of meal are in 

 particular lubject to this accident; they loon be- 

 coming fo extremely vitiated by the great heat, that 

 there is an abfolutc neceility for throwing them over- 

 board. Tlie wines and brandies alio, from the heat 

 of the jars, contract a pitchy taire,- and are foon un- 

 lit lor ufe. The tallow ¡nclts. becomes full of man-^'-ots, 

 and turns into a kind of earth ; the liime may be ob- 

 Icrvcd of other goods. Hence, if ibe gain is fometimes 

 great, the rilk of the lofs is proportional. 



The coañjng barks, whici) make frequent trips from 

 the adjacent ports, fupply the cuy with hogs, poultry, 



hung- 



