90 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. iv. 



in the interior of Ecuador. It was constructed by order of 

 Garcia Morena, a former President of the Eepublic, and it is in 

 more senses than one the highway to Quito. It commences at 

 Chuquipoquio, where the traveller to his surprise suddenly drops 

 from a trail or mule-path on to a road broad enough for four 

 or five vehicles to be driven abreast. It has slightly falling 

 gradients on leaving the tambo, and it then rises as it passes 

 over the Paramo of Sanancajas — a stretch of bleak moorland 

 forming part of the lower eastern slopes of Carihuairazo. It 

 then descends almost continuously to Ambato, bending round 

 and avoiding the village of Mocha^ through which the old track 

 to Quito passes. 



In the following June-July • I measured by direct measure- 

 ment the distance by the road between Chuquipoquio and the 

 place marked by an asterisk on the Map of Chimborazo^ and 

 found it was 35,670 feet. When crossing the paramo it is 

 perfectly straight for two and a half miles, and this part and 

 many other sections of it are paved with round, knobbly stones 

 which are distressing alike to man and beast. They are found 

 so painful to traverse, that horsemen, baggage-animals, and 

 pedestrians decline to use the road when it is paved in this 

 manner, and go by preference into the little ditches on each 

 side, or even take to the wild moorland, where there is much 

 less risk of dislocating the ankles. The paved parts of the road 

 are rapidly becoming covered with grass. - 



After crossing the Paramo of Sanancajas we descended into 

 the basin of Ambato. The litter, carried at the head of the 



1 1 concur in the following remarks by Mr. Church. "Its great width appears 

 to me to be an error. I doubt if any part of it is used by five carts or carriages 

 per day. It is almost entirely used as a mule-track, for which it serves abundantly 

 well ; but the neglect of the Government to keep this excellent road in repair is 

 fast turning it into nothing but a mule-track. A year or two more, under its present 

 neglect, will make it impassable for carriages. . . . There are no plans in the Govern- 

 ment Offices of the cart-road, and the Government tells me that none exist." — Page 49 

 of a Report by Mr. George Earl Church to Mr. Blaine. AVashington, Feb. 15, 1883. 



