ULLOA S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 



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which, after direfting its courfe northward, till it is in an eaft and weft diredlon with 

 the mountain of Tunguragua, it winds to the eaft, and adds its water to thofe of the 

 river of the Amazons. At the town of Penipe, it is fo deep and rapid as only to be 

 crofled over a bridge made of bujucos. Alfo before it reaches the town of Los Bannos, 

 it is increafed by the rivers Latacunga and Bato, together with all the ftreams from 

 both the Cordilleras, thofe from the fouthern fummit of Elenifa, and the fouthern fide 

 of Ruminavi and Cotopaxi. 



The ftreams flowing from the north fummit of Elenifa, I have already mentioned 

 to run northward ; and with thefe all from the fame Cordillera unite, together with 

 thofe ifluing from the north and weft fides of the mountain Ruminavi, thofe of Pa- 

 fuchua ; and from this junction rifes the river Amaguanna. The two laft mountains 

 ftand north and fouth from each other, in an intermediate fpace of the Cordilleras. 

 From the north fide of Cotopaxi the Paramo of Chinchulagua, which is alfo covered 

 with fnovv, and the Cordillera de Guamani, other ftreams have their rife, and from 

 their conflux is formed the river Ichubamba, which, running northward, joins the 

 Amaguanna, a little to the north of Cono-Coto. Afterwards it receives the rivulets 

 ifluing from the eaftern Cordillera, and changes its name to that of Guayllabamba. 

 The waters which have their fource in the weftern part of Cayamburo, and the 

 fouthern part of Moxanda, form another river called Pifque, which firft runs towards 

 the weft, and joining the Guayllabamba, takes the name of Alchipichi, which, a little 

 to the north of St. Antonio, in the jurifdiftion of Quito, is fo broad and rapid, that 

 there is no pafling it but in a tarabita, which we ftiall prefently defcribe. From hence 

 it continues its courfe northwards, and at laft falls into the river of Emeralds. 



The mountain of Majanda ftands in the interval between the Cordilleras ; and though 

 it has only one fide as it were, it is divided into two fumraits, one eaftward and the 

 other weftward; and from both thefe runs a fmall Cordillera, which, afterwards join- 

 ing, inclofe this valley. 



From the fide of the mountain iflfue two large torrents, which meet in the lake of 

 St. Pablo : from whence flows a river, which, being joined by others from the fprings 

 of the weftern Cordillera, form one ftream, and after being increafed by another 

 brook from the heights of Oezillo, give rife to the river which waflies the town of 

 St. Miguel de Ibarra ; after which it takes the name of Mira, and difcharges itfelf into 

 the South Sea, a little to the north of the river of Emeralds. 



When the rivers are too deep to be forded, bridges are made at the moft frequented 

 places. Of thefe there are two kinds befides thofe of ftone, which are very few : the 

 former of wood, which are the moft common ; and the latter of bujucos. With re- 

 gard to the firft, they choofe a place where the river is very narrow, and has on each 

 fide high rocks. They confift of only four long beams laid clofe together over the 

 precipice, and form a path about a yard and a half in breadth, being juft fufficient for 

 a man to pafs over on horfeback ; and cuftom has rendered thefe bridges fo natural to 

 them, that they pafs them without any apprehenfion. The fecond, or thofe formed of 

 bujucos, are only ufed where the breadth of the river will not admit of any beariis to 

 be laid acrofs. In the conftruckion of thefe, feveral bujucos are twifted together, fo as 

 to form a kind of large cable of the length required. Six of thefe are carried from 

 one fide of the river to the other, two of which are confiderably higher than the other 

 four. On the latter are laid fticks in a tranfverfe diredion, and, over thefe, branches 

 of trees, as a flooring ; the former are faftened to the four which form the bridge, and by 

 that means ferve as rails for the fecurity of the paflfenger, who would otherwife be in no 

 fmall danger from the continual ofcillation. The bejuco bridges in this country are 



VOL. XIV. 3 Y only 



