t6pography. 



349 



Peruvians, against cold and rain. The poncho of matted 

 straw is impenetrable to the weather. Mantles of this kind 

 have been found so useful a shelter against the inclemency of 

 the weather, that they have been recently adopted for the 

 Spanish cavalry. — The hammock, the name of which is de- 

 rived from the Quechua tongue, likewise originated with 

 the ancient Indians of Peru. 



REPOPULATION OP THE VALLEY OP VITOC. 



The pleasant valley of Vitoc is one of those formed by 

 the Andes mountains, and belongs to the intendency of Tarma, 

 from which capital it is distant sixteen leagues. It is situated 

 in 1 1 degrees 32 minutes south latitude, and in 302 degrees 

 15 minutes of longitude. It is bounded, on the west, by the 

 department of Tarma ; on the east, by the river named Ma- 

 rancocha, which, arising from the jun6tion of the rivers Uchu- 

 bamba and Monobamba, empties itself into the Chanchamayo ; 

 on the south, by the fort of Uchubamba, and its dependen- 

 cies ; and on the north, by the river Chanchamayo, which 

 separates it from the possessions of the uncivilized Indians. 

 From south to north, reckoning from the elevation of the 

 mountain of Sibis to that of Soriano, it has an extent of eight 

 leagues ; and, fi'om east to west, of six leagues, from the 

 river Marancocha to the mountain of the river Maraynioc. It 

 is composed of several plains and deep excavations of the earth 

 f cjuebradas J , of a surprizing fertility, and which, at the com- 

 mencement of the eighteenth century, were cultivated with 

 great pains and diligence. It is traditionally known that they 



afforded 



