^36 ulloa's voyage to south America. 



the plain of Turubamba. But the moft fingular was one feen by Don George Juan, on 

 the mountain of Quinoa-loma, on the 2 2d of May 1739, at eight at night. Thefe 

 arches were entirely white, without the mixture of any other colour, and formed along 

 the flope or fide of a mountain. That which Don George Juan faw conlifted of three 

 arches, touching in the fame point : the diameter of the inner arch was fixty degrees ; 

 and the breadth of the white mark, or delineation, took up a fpace of five degrees ; 

 the two others were, in every refpeO:, of the fame dimenfions. 



The atmofphere, and the exhalations from the foil, feem more adapted than in any 

 other place for kindling the vapours ; meteors being here more frequent, and often very 

 large, laft longer, and are nearer the earth, than the like phenomena feen in other parts. 

 One of thefe inflammatiofis, of a very extraordinary largenefs, was feen at Quito whilft 

 we were there. I cannot exadly determine the date of its appearance, the paper on 

 which I had wrote an account of it being loft, when I was taken by the Englifh : but 

 the particulars, which I remember, are as follow : 



About nine at night, a globe of fire appeared to rife from the fide of Mount Pichin- 

 cha J and fo large, that it fpread a light all over the part of the city facing that moun- 

 tain. The houfe where I lodged Iboking that way, I was furprized with an extraordi- 

 nary light darting through the crevices of the window fhutters. On this appearance, 

 and the buftle of the people in the ftreets, I haftened to the window, and came time 

 enough to fee it in the middle of its career, which continued from weft to fouth, till I 

 loft fight of it, being intercepted by the mountain of Panecillo, which lies in that quar- 

 ter. It was round, and its apparent diameter about a foot. I faid that it feemed to rife 

 > J from the fides of Pichincha : for to judge from its courfe, it was behind that mountain 

 N jfjvhere this congeries of inflammable matter was kindled. In the firft half of its vifible 

 \ff>urfe, it emitted a prodigious effulgency, then gradually began to grow dim, fo that at 

 \j occultation behind the Panecillo, its light was very faint. 



r^ fliall conclude this chapter with an account of the manner of hunting, which is the 

 * ^ y diverfion in the country, and in which they paflionately delight. Indeed the moft 



narkable circumftance in it is the ardour and intrepidity of the hunters ; and which a 

 ftranger, at firft, will naturally confider as mere rafhnefs, till he fees perfons of the 

 greateft prudence, after having made one fingle trial, join in thefe parties, trufting en- 

 tirely to their horfes ; fo that it is rather to be termed a dextrous and manly exercife, 

 \ and proves the fuperiority both of the riders and horfes to the moft celebrated in Europe ; 



and that the boafted fleetnefs of the latter is dullnefs, when compared to the celerity 

 with which thofe of America run over mountains and precipices. 



The hunting is performed by a great number of people, who are divided into two 

 claffes, one on horfeback, the other on foot, who are generally Indians. The bufinefs 

 of the latter is, to roufe the beaft, and that of the others, to hunt it. They all, at 

 break of day, repair to the place appointed, which is generally on the fummit of the 

 paramos. Every one brings his greyhound ; and the horfemen place themfelves on the 

 higheft peaks, whilft thofe on foot range about the breaches, making a hideous noife in 

 order to ftart the deer. Thus the company extend themfelves three or four leagues, 

 or more, according to their numbers. On the ftarting of any game, the horfe which 

 firft perceives it fets off; and the rider, being unable to guide or ftop him, purfues the 

 chace fometimes down fuch a fteep flope, that a man on foot, with the greateft care, 

 could hardly keep his legs ; from thence up a dangerous afcent, or alongfide of a 

 mountam, that a perfon, not ufed to this exercife, would think it much fafer to throw 

 himfelf out of the faddle, than commit his life to the precipitate ardour of the horfe. 



Thus 



