442 ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 



at prefent ; the number of its inhabitants being confiderably decreafed, particularly the 

 Indians, whole flreets of whofe huts are now forfaken, and in ruins. 



South- weft from Quito, on the neck of land belonging to the plain of Turu-bamba, 

 is an eminence called Panecillo, or the Little Loaf, from its figure refembling a fugar 

 loaf. Its height is not above a hundred toifes, and between it and the mountains cover- 

 ing the eaft part of the city is a very narrow road. From the fouth and weft fides of 

 the Panecillo iflue feveral ftreams of excellent water ; and from the eminences of Pi- 

 chincha feveral brooks flow down the breaches, and, by means of conduits and pipes, 

 plentifully fupply the whole city with water ; whilft the remainder, joining in one 

 ftream, forms a river called Machangara, which walhes the fouth parts of the city, and 

 is crofled over by a ftbne bridge. 



Pichincha, in the Pagan times, was a volcano, and even fome fiery eruptions have 

 been known fince the conqueft. The mouth, or aperture, was in a pic nearly of the 

 fame height with that on which we took our ftation ; and the top of it is now covered 

 with fand and calcined matter. At prefent no fire is ejefted, nor does there any fmoke 

 iifue from it. But fometimes the inhabitants are alarmed by dreadful noifes, caufed by 

 winds confined in its bowels, which cannot fail of recalling to their minds the terrible 

 deftrudion formerly caufed by its eruftations, when the whole city and neighbouring 

 country were often, as it were, buried under a deluge of afties, and the light of the 

 fun totally intercepted, for three or four days fucceffively, by impenetrable clouds of 

 duft. In the centre of the plain of Inna-Quito is a place called .Runiibamba, i. e. a 

 ftony plain, being full of large fragments of rocks thrown thither by the ejedions of 

 the mountain. We have already obferved, that the higheft part of Pichincha is covered 

 with ice and fnow, confiderable quantities of which are brought down to the city, and 

 mixed with the tiq^uors drunk by people of faftiion. 



The principal fquare in Quito has four fides, in one of which ftands the cathe- 

 dral, and in the oppofite the epifcopal palace; the third fide is taken up by the 

 town-houfe, and the fourth by the palace of the audience. It is very fpacious, and 

 has in the centre an elegant fountain. It is indeed rather disfigured than 

 adorned by the palace of the audience ; which, inftead of being kept in repair 

 conformable to the dignity of government, the greateft part of it has been fuftered to 

 fall into ruins, and only a few halls and offices taken any care of; fo that even the 

 outward walls continually threaten to demohfti the parts now ftanding. The four ftreets 

 terminating at the angles of the fquare are ftraight, broad, and handfome ; but at the 

 diftance of three or four quadras (or the diftance between every two corners, or ftacks 

 of building, and which here confifts of about a hundred yards, more or lefs) begin the 

 troublefome declivities. This inequality deprives the inhabitants of the ufe of coaches, 

 or any other wheel-carriage. Perfons of rank, however, to diftinguilh themfelves, are 

 attended by a fervant carrying a large umbrella : and ladies of the firft quality are car- 

 ried in fedans. Except the four ftreets above-mentioned, all the reft are crooked, and 

 deftitute both of fymmetry and order. Some of them are crofted by breaches, and 

 the houfes ftand on the fides of their winding courfe and irregular projedlions. Thus 

 fome parts of the city are fituated at the bottom of thofe breaches, while others ftand 

 on their fummits. The principal ftreets are paved ; but thofe which are not, are almoft 

 impaflable after rain, which is here very common. 



Befides the principal fquare, there are two others very fpacious, together with feveral 

 that are fmaller. In thefe the greateft part of the convents are fituated, and make a 

 handfome appearance ; the fronts and portals being adorned with all the embelliftiments 

 of architedure, particularly the convent of the order of Francifcans, which, being 

 wholly of free-ftone, muft have coft a prodigious fum j and indeed the juftnefs of the 



proportions. 



