QUITO. 



Peru and Chacliapoyas ; towards the caft it extends over 

 the whole government of Maynas, and the river of the 

 Amazons, to the meridian of demarcatioit, or that which 

 divides the domii'ions of Spain and Portugal. Its boundary 

 on the well is the fea, from the coalt of Machala, in the gulf 

 of Puna, to the coall of the government of Atacames, and 

 the jurifdidtion of Barbacoss, in the bay of Gorgona. Its 

 greatell breadth from nortli to fouth is about 200 leagues ; 

 and its length from eaft to welt, the whole extent from Cape 

 de Santa Elena, in the South fea, to the above-mentioned 

 meridian, which, by tlie moll accurate computation, is 600 

 leagues. All the parts, however, that can properly be faid 

 to be peopled, and actually lubjedl to the Spaailh govern- 

 ment, are thofe intercepted by the two Cordilleras of the 

 Andes, which, compared with the whole extent of the 

 country, may be termed a Itreet or lane, extending from the 

 jurifdiftion of the town of St. Miguel de Ibarra to that of 

 Loja ; the country frdm hence to the government of Po- 

 payan, and alfo that comprehended between the weitern 

 Cordillera and the fea. With this limitation, the extent 

 of the jurifdiftion from eaft to well will be 15 leagues, or 

 fomewhat more, bemg the diftance intercepted between the 

 two Cordilleras. But to this mull be added the countries 

 comprehended in the governments of Jaen de Bracamaros, 

 which borders on the jurifdicSlion of Loja, and the extremity 

 of the whole province, and fituated on the eall fide of the 

 eallern Cordillera ; and to the northward, the government 

 of Quixos, and that of Maynas to the eallward of it, but 

 feparated by large trafts of land inhabited by wild Indians ; 

 and on the north fide of the province from that of Popayan ; 

 though the latter is properly a diftinft province from that 

 of Quito. Tlius on the weft fide of that interval between 

 the two Cordilleras lies the government of Atacames, and 

 the jurifdiftion of Guayaquil ; on the eaft fide, the three 

 governments above mentioned ; and on the north, that of 

 Popayan. 



This province, exclufive of thefe five governments, con- 

 fifts of nine jurifdiftions, called in that country provinces, 

 that of Quito being fubdivided into as many others as there 

 are governments and jurifdiftions. Thofe in the province 

 of Quito, beginning with the moft northern, arc the fol- 

 lowing, Wz. the town of San Miguel de Ibarra, the vil- 

 lage of Otabalo, the city of Quito, the affiento of Lata- 

 cunga, the town of Riobamba, the afliento of Chimbo, or 

 Gaaranda, the city of Guayaquil, the city of Cuenga, and 

 the city of Loja. 



The jurifdiftion of Quito, the third of thofe above enu- 

 merated, confifts of 25 pariihes, befides thofe in the city, 

 and extends more than five leagues, comprehending lands 

 covered with plantations, producing a variety of plants and 

 fruits, according to the quality, iituation, and expofure of 

 the ground. Thofe in the tempei-ate parts yield plentiful 

 harvefts of maize ; and thofe at the bottoms of deep cavities, 

 being in a hot temperature, are planted with fugar-canes, 

 from which are extrafted great quantities of fugar and rum. 

 The plantations near the fummits of the mountains, having 

 a variety of temperatures, produce wheat, barley, pot- 

 herbs of all kinds, and potatoes. Above thefe plantations 

 are fed numerous flocks of fhecp, producing that wool 

 which affords employment to a great multitude of people. 

 Some farmers breed cows, with the view to the advantage 

 derived from their milk in making cheefe and butter. In 

 other farm-houfes, various occupations are obferved, fuch 

 as breeding of cattle, agriculture, and manufactures, par- 

 ticularly of cloth, bays, and ferges. The degree ' of cold 

 and heat in this jurifdiftion is fubjeft to fudden variations, 

 according to the fituation of different places ; but in the 



fame place viciffitudes feldom occur. The villages in this 

 jurifdidion are conftrudted with little regularity. They 

 confilt principally of a church and parfonagc, called the 

 Co:-,vent, the priells being formerly all religious ; the other 

 parts prefent a number of huts with mud-walls, fcat- 

 tered all over the country, where every one has his appro- 

 priate piece of ground, which he tills for his fubfiftence. 

 A great part, and in fome villages the whole, of the in- 

 habitants are Indians, who live there when out of place ; 

 though in fome parts the inhabitants are Mellizos, and here 

 and there a Spanifti family ; but thefe are extremely poor. 

 Ulloa's Voyage, vol. i. 



Quito, the capital of the above dcfcribed province, re- 

 built in the year 1534, (fee the preceding article,) and 

 fituated in the inland parts of the continent of South Ame- 

 rica, on the eaftern iliirts of the Weft Cordillera of the 

 Andes ; diftant from the coall of the South fea about 

 thirty-five leagues to the well. On the N.W. is the moun- 

 tain and defert of Pichhica (which fee), on the acclivity 

 of which the city is built, and alfo among the breaches 

 that are formed by the eminences of this mountain ; fo that 

 many of the buildings Itand upon arches, and the ftreets 

 are of courfe very irregular and uneven. With regard to 

 magnitude, this city may be compared to one of the fecond 

 order in Europe ; but the unevennefs of its fituation is a 

 great difadvantage to its appearance. Near the city are 

 two fpacious plains, one on the S., called Turu-bamba, three 

 leagues in length ; and the other on the N., termed Inna- 

 Quito, about two leagues in extent ; both of which are in- 

 terfperfed with feats and cultivated lands, which much con- 

 tribute to the variety and beauty of the fcenery. Thefe 

 plains contradl as they approach the city, and at their 

 junftion form a neck of land, covered with thofe eminences 

 on which part of Quito ftands. The principal fquare in 

 Quito has four fides, in one of which Hands the cathedral, 

 and in the oppofite the epifcopal palace ; the third fide is 

 taken up by the town-houfe, and the fourth by the palace 

 of the audience : this fquare is very fpacious, and has in its 

 centre an elegant fountain. The four ftreets terminating 

 at the angles of the fquare are ftraight, broad, and hand- 

 fome ; but at the diftance of three or four quadras, (each 

 quadra being about one hundred yards,) the troublefome ■ 

 declivities commence ; and on this account the inhabitants 

 cannot enjoy the benefit df coaches, or wheel carriages. 

 The principal ftreets are paved ; and thofe which are not 

 paved are almolt impaflable after rain, which is here very 

 common. Befides the principal fquare, there are two others, 

 that are very fpacious, and feveralthat are fmaller. In thefe 

 moft of the convents are fituated, and thefe make a handfome 

 appearance, and fome of them, particularly that of the order 

 of Francifcans, are elegant Itrudlures. The principal houfes 

 are large, and fome of them have Ipacious and well-con- 

 trived apartments, though none are above one ftory in 

 height, but their doors and windows are low and narrow. 

 The materials made ufe of in building at Quito are " adobes," 

 or unburnt bricks and clay, cemented by a fubftance called 

 " fangagua," a ipecies of mortar that is uncommonly hard, 

 ufed by the ancient Indians for building all kinds of houfes 

 and walls. The city is divided into feven parifties ; the ca- 

 thedral is richly adorned with tapeftry hangings and other 

 coftly decorations ; but the parilh churches are of mean ap- 

 pearance. The convents of monks are thofe of the Auguf- 

 tines, Dominicans, and Fathers of Mercy, &c. colleges, &c. 

 Quito has alfo feveral nunneries. The college of Jefuits, as 

 well as all the convents of monks, are large, well built, and 

 very fplendid. Here is alfo an hofpital, with feparate wards 

 for men and women, under the name of the order of our Lady 



of 



