ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 4I3 



regard to its natural foftnefs, and its rifing fo, when laid in the fun, as even to ftretch 

 the covering of the mattrafs ; nor does it fink on being brought into the fliade, unlefs 

 accompanied with dampnefs, which immediately compreffes it. This wool is here 

 thought to be of an extreme cold quality, which is abundantly fufficient to hinder it 

 from being generally ufed, though great numbers of perfons of rank, and tenderly 

 brought up, have never flept on any thing elfe, but without any injury to their health. 



The goods imported into this jurifdidtion from Peru, in return for the above-men- 

 tioned commodities, are wine, brandy, oil, and dried fruits. From Quito it receives 

 bays, tucuyos, flour, papas, bacon, hams, cheefe, and other goods of that kind. 

 From Panama, European goods purchafed at the fairs. The chief commodities it 

 receives from New Spain are iron, found in that country, but much inferior to that of 

 Europe, being brittle and vitreous. It, however, ferves for fuch ufes where malleabi- 

 lity is of no great importance, but is rarely ufed in building fhips ; alfo, naphtha, and 

 tar for the ufe of fhipping. From the fame coaft, as well as from Peru, they have alfo 

 cordage ; though the laft article, together with European iron, the owners of fhips 

 import on their own account ; and therefore make no part of the commerce. 



The tranfitory commerce is in quantity much more confiderable than that of the preced- 

 ing, as it confills of the reciprocal exchange between the large kingdoms of Quito and 

 Lima, of their refpedive commodities both natural and factitious. Lima fends the pro- 

 du6ts of its vineyards and olive yards ; and Quito furnilhes cloth, bays, tucuyos, ferges, 

 hats, (lockings, and other woollen goods ; but indigo being neceflary for increafing 

 the beauty of the colours, and none of it growing in the province of Quito, the mer- 

 chants of Guayaquil import it from New Spain, and fend it to the Quito manu- 

 facturers. ' 



Summer is the proper feafon for carrying on thefe branches of commerce ; becaufe 

 then the manufactures of the mountains can be brought down to Guayaquil, and the 

 goods fent from other parts carried up to the mountainous parts. But the river of 

 Guayaquil is never without veffels loading with goods of that jurifdiftion, the fea here 

 being always open. The profits refulting from this large and conftant commerce could 

 alone have preferved it from a total defertion, after being fo frequently pillaged by 

 pirates, and wafted by fire. And it is owing to the advantages refulting from this 

 commerce, that we now behold it large, flourifhing, and magnificent, as if it had en- 

 joyed an uninterrupted profperity from its very foundation. 



BOOK V. 



JOURNEY FROM GUAYAQUIL TO THE CITY OF QUITO. 



CHAP. L — Pajagefrom Guayaquil to the Town of Caracol, and from thence to Quito. 



ON receiving advice that the mules, provided by the corregidor of Guaranda, were 

 on the road to Caracol, we immediately embarked at Guayaquil, on the 3d of 

 May 1736, on board a large chata: but the ufual impediment of the current, and 

 feveral unfortunate accidents, rendered the palfage fo very long, that we did not land 



9 at 



>^ 



