ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 415 



and rather with more danger than at firft. About five, we halted on Its banks, at a 

 place called Caluma, or the Indian poft. Here was no houfefor lodging in, nor had we 

 teen one during the whole day's journey ; but this inconvenience was in fome meafure 

 removed by the furprifing dexterity of our Indians, who, running into the woods, foon 

 returned with branches of trees and vijahua leaves, with which, in lefs than an hour, 

 they erefted feveral huts large enough to contain our whole company ; and fo well 

 covered, that the rain, which came on very violently, did not penetrate them. * 



The thermometer at Caluma, on the 1 6th, at fix in the morning, was at one thoufand 

 and fixteen ; and we were ourfelves fenfible that the air began to grow cool. At / 

 half an hour after eight in the morning we began our journey, and at noon pafled by a 

 place called Mamarumi, or mother of ftone, where there is an inconceivably beautiful 

 cafcade. The rock from which the water precipitates itfelf is nearly perpendicular, and :Cu/^»)< 

 fifty toifes in height, and on both fides bordered with lofty and fpreading trees. The 

 clearnefs of the water dazzles the fight, which is, however, charmed with its luflre as 

 it falls from the precipice ; after which it continues its courfe in a bed along a fmall 

 defcent, and is croffed by the road. Thefe cataradls are by the Indians called Paccha, 

 and by the Spaniards of the country Chorrera. From hence we continued our journey ; 

 and after croffing the river twice on bridges, but with equal danger as in fording it, we 

 arrived at two in the evening at a place called Tarigagua, where we relied in a large 

 ftru6ture of timber, covered with vijahua leaves, built for our reception. Indeed we 

 were no lefs fatigued with this day's journey than with any of the preceding ; fome parts 

 of it being over dreadful precipices, and the road in others fo narrow, as hardly to afford 

 a paffage for the mules, that it was impofTible to avoid frequently flriking againll the trees 

 and rocks ; few of us therefore reached Tarigagua without feveral bruifes. 



It muft not be thought flrange that I fhould fay the bridges are equally dangerous ^ 

 with the fords ; for thefe flru£tures, all of wood, and very long, fhake in pafling them ; 

 befides, their breadth is not above three feet, and w^ithout any rail 'f fo ^at one falfe flep 

 precipitates the mule into the torrent, where it is inevitably loft ; accidents, according 

 to the report of our guides not uncommon. Thefe bridges, by the rotting of the wood 

 under water, are annually repaired towards winter, the only feafon when they are ufed j 

 the rivers during the fummer being fordable. 



When a perfon of diftindion, as a prefident, a bifhop, &c. is on a journey from Cara- 

 col or Babahoyo, the corregidor of Guaranda difpatches Indians for building cottages at 

 the ufual refting places, like that we found at Tarigagua ; and thefe being left ftanding, 

 ferve afterwards for other palfengers, till the rains deftroy them. When thefe are thrown 

 down, travellers muft content themfelves with the huts which their Indian guides build 

 with wonderful difpatch. 



At Tarigagua, on the 17th, at fix in the morning, the thermometer ftood at ioi4fi. jr 

 And having been for fome time accuftomed to hot climates, we now fenfibly felt the 

 cold. It is remarkable, that we here often fee inftances of the effeds of two oppofite 

 temperatures, in two perfons happening to meet, one of them coming from Guayaquil, 

 and the other from the mountains : the latter finding the heat fo great that he is fcarce 

 able to bear any clothes, while the former wraps himfelf up in all the garments he can 

 procure. The one is fo delighted with the warmth of the water of the river, that he 

 bathes in it ; the other thinks it fo cold, that he avoids being fpattered by it. Nor is the 



* The natives when they travel, ereft new huts every night in this manner, except they have the con- 

 veniency of tying their hammock up in trees, by which means they fave the trouble of a watch and fire all 

 night to keep off the wild beafts. 



cafe 



