472 UIXOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



made fuch terrible havock in the afliento of Latacunga, proved alfo fatal to this. The 

 earth near it opened in feveral places, of which there ftill remains an aftonifhing 

 monument on the fouth fide of the alliento, being a chafm four or five feet broad, and 

 about a league in length, north and fouth. And on the north fide of the river are 

 feveral openings of the fame kind. The horror of the fliock was greatly increafed by 

 terrible eruptions from Mount Carguairafo, from whence a muddy torrent, formed of 

 afhes, cinders, and fnow melted by the flames from the aperture, precipitated dow^n 

 the fides of the mountain, overflowing the fields, fweeping away the cattle, and every 

 other object, by its violence. A track of this impetuous current is fl:ill to be feen on 

 the fouth fide of the afliento. 



The inhabitants in their manners and cufl:oms refemble thofe of Quito ; but with re- 

 gard to families of difl:in£tion, it is much inferior to Riobamba. Courage is an innate 

 quality of the natives, but blended with fuch vices, that both their neighbours, and 

 the inhabitants of the other parts of the province, will have no concerns with them, ex- 

 tept thofe abfolutely neceflary ; and, in all dealings with them, take care to guard 

 equally againfl: their deceit and violence. 



This jurifdidion in feveral of its produds and manufadures excels all the reft : one 

 of which is bread, particularly that made at the afliento, which is famous all over the 

 province; and accordingly it is fent to Quito, and other parts, without lofing any 

 thing of its goodnefs by length of time. The Indian inhabitants of the village of 

 Quero make all forts of cabinet work, for whicli there is a great demand all over the 

 province, as, befides the goodnefs of the workmanfliip,. this is the only place where 

 goods of this kind are made. The jurifdidion of Patate is equally famous for the 

 plenty of fugar canes, and the goodnefs of the fugar made from them, being of the 

 fineft fort. That of Santa Rofa de Pilaguin, which, with its fields, lies on the fide of 

 Carguairafo, is famous for the particular goodnefs of its barley, as the diftri^t border- 

 ing on the afliento is for the exquifitenefs of its fruits ; and to this diftrift Quito owes 

 moft of the European kinds fold in that city, the temperature of the air being peculiarly^ 

 adapted to the perfedion of thofe fruits. 



VI. On the weft fide of the jurifdidion of Riobamba, between it and Guayaquil, 

 lies that of Chimbo, whofe jurifdidion confifts of an afliento and feven villages : the 

 former, being the capital, is called Chimbo, and was the refidence of the corregidor, 

 till it was thought proper, for the conveniency of commerce, to remove it to Guaranda. 

 This afliento does not contain above eighty families j fome of which are Spaniards, but 

 all poor. The names of the villages are, 



I. San Lorenzo. V. Guaranda. 



II. Afaneoto. VI. Guanujo. 



III. Chapacoto. VII. Tomabelas. 



IV. San Miguel. 



The moft confiderable of their villages is that Guaranda, though the inhabitants are 

 generally Meftizos ; there are fome Indians, but very few Spaniards. 



The jurifdidion of Chimbo, being the firft of the Serrania, or ridge of mountains, 

 bordering on that of Guayaquil, carries on, by means of innumerable droves of mules, 

 the whole trade of Quito and the other provinces, by the way of Guayaquil, carrying 

 the bales of cloth, and ftuflfs, together with the meal, corn, and other produds of the 

 country, from the former to the latter ; and returning with wine, brandy, fait, 

 cotton, fifli, oil, and other goods wanted in the provinces of the mountains. This 



traffic 



