Cu. VIL SOUTH AMERICA. 4eS 



rise from the plain on which the viliages are situated. 

 On this side, in a small plain betwixt its skirts and 

 the Cordillera, has been built the village ofBannos, so 

 called from its hot medicinal baths, to which there is 

 a great resprt from all parts of this jurisdiction. South 

 of Cuenca, and not far from another village, called 

 Bannos also, belonging to this jurisdiction, are other 

 hot waters on the summit of an eminence, gushing 

 out through several apertures of four or five inches 

 diameter, and of a heat which hardens eggs sooner 

 than water boiling over the fire. These several streams 

 unite and form a rivulet, the stones aiid banks of 

 which are tino-ed with yellow, and the water is of a 

 brackish taste. The upper part of this small eminence 

 is full of crevices, through which issues a continual 

 smoke : a sufficient indication of its containing great 

 quantities of sulphureous and nitrous substances. 



North of Riobaraba, inclining soniedegrees to the 

 wegt, is the mountain of Chutiborazo, by the side of 

 which lies the road from Quito to Guayaquil. At 

 first great numbersof theSpaniards perished in passing 

 the vast and dangerous deseits on its declivity ; but 

 being at present better acquainted with them, and 

 inured to the climate, such misfortunes are seldom 

 heard of; especially as very i'ew take this road, unless 

 there is the greatest appeararice of two or three days 

 of calm and serene weather. 



North of this mountain stands that of Carguayra- 

 so, which has been already taken notice of. 



North of Latacunga, and about five leagues dis- 

 tant from it, is Cotopaxi, which, towards the north- 

 west and south, extends itself beyond all the others; 

 and which, as I have before observed, became a vol- 

 cano at the time of the Spaniards' first arrival in this 

 country. In ]743, a new eruption happened, having 

 been some days preceded by a continual rumbling in 

 its bowels. An aperture Avas made in its summit, 

 and three about the same height near the middle of 



its 



