T70 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



fíat or acaracolada or fpiral may be underftood ; it 

 may not be improper to remark, that it is the lalt 

 fpecics, and accordingly the cotton tinged with this 

 juice is called Caracolillo. This department alfo 

 abounds in fruits, cattle of all kinds, wax, and fiíl"i ; 

 fo that the inhabitants have very profitable motives for * 

 induilry ; accordinirly it is very populous, and though 

 it does not abound in towns, the number of inhabit- 

 ants far exceeds that of the preceding government, 

 and the harbour of Punta is much frequented by 

 venéis, that is, by fuch as trade between Panama and 

 the ports of Peru, in order to purchafe different kinds 

 of proviiions, as calves, kids, fowl, and other kinds, of 

 which there is here a great plenty. Veflels belong- 

 ing to the merchants of Guayaquil of two hundred 

 tons, load here with fait ; a trade, which from the 

 cheapnefs of that commodity turns to a very good ac- 

 count. 



The next lieutenancy fouthward is Puna, an ifland 

 in the mouth of Guayaquil river. It extends N. E. 

 and S. VV. between fix and leven leagues, and is of a 

 quadrilateral figure. According to an ancient tra- 

 dition, its inhabitants were once between twelve and 

 fourteen thoufand ; but, at prefent, it has only one 

 Imall town, fituatcd at the head of its harbour in the 

 north-cafr part ; and the few inhabitants confifl: chiefly 

 of Calts, and ibnic Spaniards, but very few Indians. 

 To this lieutenancy hiis been annexed the town of 

 Máchala, on the coafi: of Tumbez, together with 

 that of Naranjal, the landing place of the river of the 

 fame name, called aUo the Suya; near which is a 

 road leading to thejurifdidions of Cuenca and Alaufi. 

 But neither of thcle towns is in a niore fiourifhing 

 condition than that on the iiland. In tlie latter refide 

 both the lieutenant and prieit, to whom the others are 

 fubjecl, both in civil and ecclcliaihc'al aíFairs ; Puna 

 not only being the principal town, but great fliips, 

 by realon oí the depth of Its harbour, load there, 



which 



