tJLLOA's VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 46 1 



another of bread and cheefe, they make as hearty a meal as the rich with all their 

 variety of diflies. Thus it appears, that if there be feme difference between the foods 

 ufed here and thofe of Spain, the difference in their preparing them is ftill greater. 



CHAP. VIII. — Of the Commerce of the Province of Quito, 



FROM the two preceding chapters, a fufficient judgment may be formed of the 

 produfts and manufadures in the province of Quito, which are the fources of its com- 

 merce. The perfons who are the chief conductors of this commerce, are the Euro- 

 peans or Chapitones ; fome fettled here, and others coming occafionally. The latter 

 purchafe the country goods, and fell thofe of Europe. The manufadures of this pro- 

 vince, as we have already noticed, are only cottons, fome white called Tucuyos, and 

 others ftriped bays and cloths, which meet with a good market at Lima for fupplying 

 all the inward provinces of Peru. The returns are made partly in filver, partly in 

 gold and filver thread fringes made in that city ; wine, brandy, oil, copper, tin, lead, 

 and quickfilver. The maflers of the manufactures either fell their goods to the traders, 

 or employ them as their faCtors. 



On the arrival of the galleons at Carthagena, the traders refort thither either by the 

 way of Popayan or that of Santa Fe, to purchafe European goods, which, at their 

 return, they confign to their correfpondents all over the province. 



The products of the earth are chiefly confumed within the province, except the 

 wheat produced in the jurifdidion of Riobamba and Chimbo, part of which are fent 

 to Guayaquil. But this is a trade carried on only by Meftizos and poor people. It 

 would indeed admit of great improvements, were not the freights fo exceflively high, 

 that the trouble and expence of carrying them from Guayaquil to other countries, where 

 there is a fcarcity of them, renders it impoflible to get a living profit. 



Goods, manufactured by the public, or wove by private Indians, are, together with 

 fome kinds of provifions, fent to the jurifdiCtion of Barbacoas ; and this is the com- 

 merce in which the Chapitones make the firft effay of their abilities for trade. Thefe 

 provifions are exchanged for gold, found in that country, and which is afterwards fent 

 to Lima, where it bears a greater price. Their Huffs alfo find a vent in the govern- 

 ments of Popayan and Santa Fc ; and this commerce is perpetually carried on ; but 

 the only return in the tiempo muerto, or abfence of the galleons, is gold, which, like 

 that from Barbacoas, is fent to Lima. 



The coaft of New Spain fupplies this province with indigo, of which there is a very 

 large confumption at the manufactories, blue being univerfally the colour which this '--^ii, 

 people affeCt in their apparel. They alfo import^ by way of Guayaquil, iron and fteel 

 both from Europe and the coaft of Guatemala ; and though it fetches fo high a price, 

 that a quintal of iron fells for above a hundred dollars, and the fame quantity of fteel 

 for a hundred and fifty, there is a continual demand in order to fupply the peafants 

 with the neceffary inftruments of agriculture. 



The inland, or reciprocal commerce, confifts in the confumption of the products of 

 one jurifdiCtion in another ; and is a conftant incentive to induftry among the inhabi- 

 tants of the villages, and the lower clafs. Thofe of the province of Chimbo purchafe 

 home-made tucuyos and bags in thofe of Riobamba and Quito, in order to vend them 

 at Guayaquil, bringing thence, in return, fait, filh, and cotton j the latter of which, 

 being wove in the looms of Quito, is again fent to Guayaquil in ftuffs. The jurifdic- 



tions 



