2S^ A VOYAGE TO Book VI. 



iindanntecl ronrage when interest was in view, for 

 reducing the Indians and making settlements in the 

 country; which he accordingly accomplished, and 

 founded the town of Baeza, the capital of the go- 

 vernment, in the year 1559; and it was soon fol- 

 lowed by other towns and villages, still existing; but 

 with very little improvement beyond their first state. 



The tov^ n of Baeza, though the most ancient of the 

 country, and long the residence of the governors, has 

 always remained very small, which is owing to the 

 building of the two cities of Avila ajid Archidona, still 

 subsisting, and at that time the chief object of the 

 attention of the settlers, Baeza being left as first built; 

 and these, so far from having increased suitably to the 

 title of cities, which was given them at their founda- 

 tion, remain on their first footing. The cause of the 

 low state of the places here is the nature of the coun- 

 try, which, in air, fertility, and other enjoyments of ' 

 life, being inferior to that of Quito, few settle here 

 who can live in the other. Baeza is indeed extreme- 

 ly declined, consisting only of eight or nine thatched 

 houses, with about twenty inhabitants of all ages, 

 so that from the capital it is become annexed to the 

 parish of Papalhicta, in which town resides the priest, 

 who has besides under his care another town called 

 Maspu. This decay was no more than a consequence 

 of the removal of the governor, who of late has re- 

 sided at Archidona. 



The city of Archidona is a small place, lying in 

 one degree and a few minutes S. of the equinoctial, 

 and about one degree 50 minutes E. of the meridian 

 of Quito. The houses are of wood, covered with 

 straw, and the whole number of its inhabitants is 

 reckoned at betwixt 650 and 700, consisting of Spa- 

 niards, Indians, Mestizos, and Mulattos; it has only 

 one priest, under whose care are also three other towns, 

 called Misagualli, Tena, and Napo; the last receives 

 its name from the river on the borders of which it 



stands ; 



