ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 489 



of San Miguel de Ibarra ; northward on the department of Barbacoas in the govern- 

 ment of Popayan ; its weftern boundary is the South Sea ; and fouthward it joins the 

 territory of Guayaquil. Thus it reaches along the coaft from the ifland of Tumaco, 

 and the houfe of Hufmal, which lie in one degree and a half north latitude, to the bay of 

 Caracas, and the mountains of Balfamo, in 34' fouth latitude. 



The country of this jurifdi£tion lay a long time uncultivated ; and if not wholly, at 

 lead the greateft part of it, unknown ; for, after its conqueft by Sebaftian de Belalca- 

 zar, the peopling of it was negleded, either becaufe the Spaniards were more intent 

 in regulating their conquefts than in improving what they had got, or becaufe the 

 country did not feem to them fo proper for a fettlement as the fierra or mountainous 

 parts ; or perhaps they judged it barren and unhealthy. And though care was taken 

 to furniili Quito with priefts, to preferve its Indian inhabitants in an adherence to thofe 

 precious truths they had embraced ; yet it was with the total negled: of that improve- 

 ment of the country, which was feen in all the other parts where the Spaniards had 

 fettled. Thus thefe people, though Chriftians by profeffion, remain in that rufticity 

 and favagenefs natural to men who are out of the way of rational converfation and 

 commerce to civilize them ; an Indian only coming now and then from their woods 

 with aji, achote, and fruits, to fell at Quito, where they feem ftruck with amazement 

 at the fight of fuch a concourfe of people at one place ; it being indeed far beyond 

 what could be imagined by fuch as feldom or never came to any diftance from their 

 poor cottages, difperfed and ftiut up in the woods, and living among the wild beafts. 



Though the country of Atacames lay thus neglefted for fome years after the intro- 

 duftion of the Chriftian religion, and its inhabitants had performed homage to the King 

 of Spain ; yet the importance of making fettlements here, and cultivating the ground, 

 for facilitating the commerce betwixt the province of Quito and the kingdom of Terra 

 Firma, was not unknown, as thereby an end would be put to the inconveniences of 

 carrying it on by the way of Guayaquil ; which being a great circuit, the trade fufFered 

 in many particulars ; and indeed could not long have fubfifted, without making a fet- 

 tlement of Spaniards in Atacames ; as thus the way would be much fhorter for the 

 commerce betwixt Terra Firma and Quito, which now conveniently fupplies it with 

 provifions of all kinds, and receives European goods in return. 



Purfuant to thefe views, Paul Durango Delgadillo was, in the year 1621, appointed 

 governor of Atacames and Rio de las Efmaraldas. He had fome years before entered 

 into a contract with the Marquis de Montes Claros, for opening a way from the town 

 of San Miguel de Ibarra to the river Santiago, one of thofe which traverfed the country 

 belonging to the jurifdiftion of this government ; and likewife to people and cultivate 

 it. But failing of fulfilling the agreement, though he was not wanting in endeavours, 

 the government in the year 1626 was taken from him, and conferred on Francifco 

 Perez Menacho, who however had no better fuccefs than he who had been difplaced. r 

 After thefe two, came Juan Vincencio Juftiniani in the fame charader ; but he, feeing 

 the infuperable difficulties according to the methods of his predeceflbrs, confidently 

 offered to make the way by the river Mira, but alfo failed in the execution j and Don 

 Hernando de Soto Calderon, who began it in the year 17 13, and rather more fanguine 

 in his aflurances of fuccefs than the former, alfo difappointed the general expectation j 

 and thus the fo much defired communication of the province of Quito and the kingdom 

 of Terra Firma remained as it was till the year 1735, when Don Pedro Vincente Mal- 

 donado, being inverted with the fame powers as his predeceflbrs, furpafled them in 

 execution; and in 1741 laid open a direct communication betwixt Quito and the 

 Rio de las Efmaraldas j and having verified his proceeding before the audiences, and 

 VOL. XIV, ^ 3 R obtained 



