HACIENDA OF CmLLO. 237 



Chillo, one of those lovely little vales into which the 

 plateau is broken by the low transverse and longitudinal 

 ranges, between the two main Cordilleras. It is closed 

 upon the south by the rugged walls of Rumiiiagui, while 

 Oldening to the north into the valley of the Esmeraldas. 

 In the quiet and picturesque character of its scenery, iti 

 is the rival of the valley of Chirabo, that lies upon the 

 western slope of the Andes. The Hacienda of Chillo was 

 established as a Jesuit mission station soon after the con- 

 quest. The building has been often remodelled, but is still 

 undermined by old vaults and passages. Its architecture 

 is that of the sixteenth cent«iry ; corridors extend nearly 

 the entire length of the building, the walls being deco- 

 rated with frescoed paintings of the Muses and various 

 designs. A vaulted entrance leads to the chapel, which 

 occupies the centre of the building. It is small, but suffi- 

 ciently large to accommodate the Indians, about two 

 hundred in number, belonging to the liacienda. This 

 church contains Titian's beautiful painting, " The Cruci- 

 fixion," which was brought here by the Jesuits, and has 

 been retained, notwithstanding several efforts that have 

 been made to remove it to Spain. During one of the late 

 revolutions in Ecuador, it was secreted in the vaults of 

 the hacienda, and suffered considerable injury from damp- 

 ness. The surrounding grounds are tastefully laid out, 

 ornamented by a lively fountain, and rendered fragrant 

 by lemon-trees, white with blossoms, while loaded with 

 mature fruit. During a recent earthquake, a tower and 

 clock occupying the centre of the building were thrown 

 down, and have not since been rebuilt. While upon our 

 excursions about the capital, we were often here enter- 

 tained ; and thus many of our most pleasant recollections 

 of the Quito valley are connected with this interesting 

 Hacienda of Chillo. 



