Cu. VIII. SOUTH AMERICA. 167 



bear the weight afligned it, which is a net lying acrofs 

 one end of it, while an Indian ftands in an eredt po- 

 litlón on the other ; and, by help of a canalete or oar, 

 puts oiFto fea, to the diftance of half a league or 

 more, where he ilioots his net. Another Indian, who 

 follows him on a iimilar log, takes hold of the rope 

 faftened to one end of the net ; and when the whole is 

 extended, they both move towards the land, where 

 their partners wait to draw the net ailiore. And 

 here one cannot help obferving with aíioniíhment 

 the dexterity and agility of the Indians, in maintain- 

 ing an equilibrium on round logs, where, by the con- 

 tinual agitations of the fea, ihey mull be always 

 changing their pofition, and making different motions 

 with their body ; and what ftill heightens the dif- 

 ficulty is, that he is obliged, at the fame time, to mind 

 both his oar and the net, in drawing it towards the 

 land. They are indeed excellent fwimmcrs ; fo that 

 if they happen (which is very feldom) to flip off, they 

 are foon on the log again, and in their former pol- 

 ture ; at leafl-, they are in no danger of being ihip- 

 wrecked. 



I SHALL place Punta de Santa Elena as the fecond 

 lieutenancy, becaufe it joins to the fouth part of the 

 former. It extends all along the weflern coafl from 

 the ifles of Plata and Salango, to the fame Punta de 

 Santa Elena ; from thence it it retches along the north 

 coafl, formed by the bay of Guayaquil ; compre- 

 hending in this extent the towns of Punta, Chongon, 

 Morro, Colonche, and Chandui. At Chongon and 

 Morro twoprieíls refíde, to whole pari tlies the others 

 belong. The lieutenant, in veiled with the civil go- 

 vernment, reiides in the town of Punta, two leagues 

 from the port, where there are indeed warehoufes, or 

 rather fheds, for receiving fait and other goods, but no 

 dwelling-houles. 



The port of Punta has fo many falt-works, that it 

 iiipplies the whole province of Quito and jurifdiólioh 



M 4 of 



