ECUADOKIENNE EARRINGS. 



CHAPTER IX. 



O^ QUITO AND THE QUITONIAJ^S. 



The Capital of the Republic of the Equator is situated at the 

 bottom of the eastern slopes of Pichincha, close to where they 

 abut against the Puengasi ridge ; and between these two mount- 

 ains the drainage of the area which may properly be termed the 

 basin of Quito escapes, through a cleft, on to the Plain of Tumbaco. 

 This basin extends from the city to the Tambillo ridge, and is 

 bounded on the west by Atacatzo and 2:»art of Pichincha, and on 

 the cast by Puengasi. Previous writers have spoken of the valley 

 of Quito ; and (ignoring the natural lines of drainage which have 

 been enumerated^) have even applied that term to the whole of 

 the interior embraced between Riobamba and the Plain of Tum- 

 baco. The only area to which this designation can properly be 

 given is that which is indicated above ; and even this, it seems 

 to me, is more aptly called the hasin of Quito. 



The population of the city is commonly said to range from 

 60,000 to 80,000 : but, from comparison of the spaces known to 

 be covered by towns whose population has been ascertained, I 



* See pp. 86, 97, and 105. 



