Ch. L SOUTH AMERICx\. • 313 



league in length, north and south. And on the N, 

 side of the river are several openings of the same kind. 

 The horror of the shock vi^as greatly increased by 

 terrible eruptions from Mount Carguairaso, from 

 whence a muddy torrent, formed of ashes, cinders, 

 and snow melted by the flames from the aperture, 

 precipitated down the sides of the mountain, over- 

 flowing the fields, sweeping away the cattle, and every 

 Qthec object, by its violence. A track of this im- 

 petuous current is still to be seen on the S. side of the 

 assiento. 



The inhabitants in their manners and customs re- 

 semble those of Quito; but with regard to families of 

 distinction, it is much inferior to Riobamba. Couriige 

 is an innate quality of the natives, but blended with 

 such vices, that both their neighbours, and the inha- 

 bitants of the other parts of the province, will have 

 no concerns with them, except those absolutely ne- 

 cessary; and, in all dealings with them, take care to 

 guard equally against their deceit and violence. 



This jurisdiction in several of its products and ma- 

 nufactures excels all the rest : one of which is bread, 

 particularly that made at the assiento, which is famous 

 all over the province; and accordingly it is sent to 

 Quito, and other parts, without losing any thing of 

 its goodness by length of time. The Indian inhabi- 

 tants of the village of Quero make all sorts of ca- 

 binet work, for which there is a great demand all over 

 the province, as, besides the goodness of the workman- 

 ship, this is the only place where goods of this kind 

 are made. The jurisdiction of Patate is equally fa- 

 mous for the plenty of sugar canes, and the good,- 

 ncss of the sugar made from them, being of the finest 

 sort. That of Santa Rosa de Pilaguin, which, with 

 its fields, lies on the side of Carguairaso, is famous for 

 the particular goodness of its barley, as the district 

 bordering on the assiento is for the exquisiteness of its 

 fruits; and to this district Quito owes most of the Eu- 

 ropean 



