488 . ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 



or whitifh earth called mambi. They put into their mouth a few cuca leaves, and a 

 fuitable portion of mambi, and, chewing thefe together, at firfl (pit out the faliva which 

 that manducation caufes, but afterwards fwallow it ; and thus move it from one fide of 

 the mouth to the other, till its fubllance be quite drained ; then it is thrown away, but 

 immediately replaced by frefh leaves. This herb is fo nutritive and invigorating, that 

 they labour whole days without any thing elfe, and on the want of it they find a decay 

 in their ftrength : they alfo add, that it preferves the teeth found, and fortifies the 

 ftomach. 



In the fouthern provinces of Peru great quantities of it are produced, being cultivated 

 by the Indians ; but that growing wild in the neighbourhood of Cufco is accounted the 

 bell of any. It makes no fmall article in trade, particularly vafl quantities of it are car- 

 ried to the mine towns, that the owners of the mines may have wherewithal to furnifli 

 the Indians, who otherwife could not be brought to work, or would not have ftrength 

 to go through it. 



This coca is exadly the fame with the betel of the Eaft Indies. The plant, the leaf, 

 the manner of ufmg it, its qualities, are all the fame : and the eaftern nations are no lefs 

 fond of their betel than the Indians of Peru and Popayan are of their coca ; but in the 

 other parts of the province of Quito, as it is not produced, fo neither is it ufed. 



In Pafto, one of the moft fouthern diftridls of Popayan, are certain trees which yield 

 a refin called mopa-mopa ; and of this is made a varnifh, which, befides its exquifite 

 beauty, will bear boiling water, and even acids. The method of applying it is, to dif- 

 folve fome of the refin in one*s mouth, and then wet the pencil with it ; afterwards it is 

 dipped in the colour which is to be laid on, and when dried has all the luftre of the 

 Chinefe laque, but with this fuperior quality, that it never wears off, nor becomes moift, 

 though rubbed with fpittle. The cabinets, tables, &c. made by the Indians of this coun- 

 try, and thus varniftied, are carried to Quito, where they are highly valued. 



Popayan is one of the beft trading countries within the province of Quito, as all the vaft 

 variety of Spanilh goods from Carthagena are configned thither and forwarded to Quito ; 

 and great numbers of traders go their rounds through the feveral jurifdidions, to the 

 great conveniency of the towns and villages, which thus fupply themfelves. Befides this 

 tranfitory commerce, it has another reciprocal with Quito, to which it exports horned 

 cattle and mules, and receives in return cloths and bays. Its adive commerce confifts 

 in dried beef, falted pork, roll-tobacco, hogs'-lard, rum, cotton, pita, ribbons, and 

 other fmall wares, which are brought to Choco, and there exchanged for gold ; fugar 

 and fnuff are imported from Santa Fe and fent to Quito ; and the returns to Santa Fe 

 are home-made cloths and bays. Here is alfo another traffic, which confifts in barter- 

 ing filvef for gold ; for, there being an abundance of the latter, and a fcarcity of the 

 former, filver is brought to exchange for gold, of which great profit is made by con- 

 verting it into doubloons : the like is alfo practifed at Choca and Barbacoas, which are 

 in the fame cafe as to metals. 



Popayan being the centre of all thefe feveral kinds of commerce, the moft wealthy 

 perfons of the whole jurifdiftion are here, and five or fix of its inhabitants are reckoned 

 to be mafters of above 100,000 dollars ; twenty to be worth betwixt 4c and 80,000, 

 befides many of fmaller, yet handfome, fortunes : and this exclufive of their farms 

 and mines, with which this country abounds. The former are the fame with thofe I 

 have had occafion to mention in the other parts of this provinc'e, according to the quahty 

 of the temperature. 



Weft of the weftgrn Cordillera of the Andes, is the government of Atacames, which 



9.n this quarter borders on the jurifdidions of the corKCgmientos of Quito and the town 



10 of 



