ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 



357 



are drefled in the manner of this country, and differ confiderably from thofe of Spain ; 

 but fome of them are fo delicate, that foreigners are no lefs pleafed with them, than the 

 gentlemen of the country. One of their favourite difhes is the agi-aco, there being 

 fcarcely a genteel table without.it. It is a mixture of feveral ingredients, which cannot 

 fail of making an excellent ragout. It confifts of pork fried, birds of feveral kinds, 

 plantanes, maize pafte, and feveral other things highly feafoned with what they call 

 pimento, or aji. 



The inhabitants of any figure generally make two meals a-day, befides another light 

 repaft. That in the morning, their breakfafl, is generally compofed of fome fried 

 difh, paflry of maize flour, and things of that nature, followed by chocolate. Their 

 dinner confifls of a much greater variety ; but at night the regale is only of fweetmeats 

 and chocolate. Some families, indeed, affeft the European cuflom of having regular 

 fuppers, though they are generally looked upon at Carthagena as detrimental to health. 

 We found, however, no difference as to ourfelves j and, poffibly, the ill effeds flow 

 from excefs in the other meals. 



CHAP. IX. — Of the Trade of Carthagena^ and other Countries of America^ on the 

 Arrival of the Galleons and other Spanijh Ships. 



THE bay of Carthagena is the iirfl place in America at which the galleons are 

 allowed to touch ; and thus it enjoys the firfl fruits of commerce, by the public fales 

 made there. Thefe fales, though not accompanied with the formalities obferved at 

 Porto Bello fair, are very confiderable. The traders of the inland provinces of Santa 

 Fe, Popayan, and Quito, lay out not only their own flocks, but alfo the monies in- 

 trufled to them by commiffions, for feveral forts of goods, and thofe fpecies of provi- 

 fions which are mofl wanted in their refpetlive countries. The two provinces of Santa 

 Fe and Popayan have no other way of fupplying themfelves with the latter, than from 

 Carthagena. Their traders bring gold and filver in fpecie, ingots, and dufl, and alfo 

 emeralds ; as, befides the filver mines worked at Santa Fe, and which daily increafe by ^^'' 

 frefh difcoveries, there are others which yield the fineft emeralds. But the value of 

 thefe gems being now fallen in Europe, and particularly in Spain, the trade of them, 

 formerly fo confiderable, is now greatly lelTened, and, confequently, the reward for 

 finding them. All thefe mines produce great quantities of gold, which is carried to 

 Choco", and there pays one-fifth to the King, at an ofiice erected for that purpofe. 



This commerce was for fome years prohibited, at the folicitation of the merchants of 

 Lima, who complained of the great damages they fuftained by the tranfportation of 

 European merchandifes from Quito to Peru ; which being thus furnifhed, while the 

 traders of Lima were employed at the fairs of Panama and Porto Bello, at their return, 

 they found, to their great lofs, the price of goods very much lowered. But it being 

 afterwards confidered, that reftraining the merchants of Quito and other places from 

 purchafmg goods at Carthagena, on the arrival of the galleons, was of great detriment 

 to thofe provinces, it was ordered, in regard to both parties, that, on notice being given 

 in thofe provinces, of the arrival of the galleons at Carthagena, all commerce, with 

 regard to European commodities, fhould ceafe between Quito and Lima, and that the 

 limits of the two audiences fhould be thofe of their commerce: that is, that Quito 

 fhould not trade beyond the territories of Loja and Zamora ; nor Lima, beyond thofe 

 of Piura, one of the jurifdidions of its audience. By this equitable expedient, thofe 

 provinces were, in time, fupplied with the goods they wanted, without any detriment 



to 



