ENTRANCES INTO THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRITORIES OP PERU. 401 



ably to the information which was left us by father Biedma and his companions, I 

 came to the resolution, in the year 1789, to improve the road from Ocopa, by 

 Monobamba, to the valley of Vitoc. With the permission of the supreme au- 

 thority, I accelerated the execution of this plan ; and re-established the town of 

 Monobamba, which had been destroyed in the year 1744, through the insurrec- 

 tion of Santos Atahualpa. In concert with Don Juan Romero Calvo, sub- 

 delegate, ad interim^ of Jauxa, I engaged five hundred Indians belonging to the 

 frontier, to perform the necessary labours, maintaining them, and supplying 

 them with working tools, at the expence of my college. All the bad parts of the 

 road leading from Yauri, distant one league from Jauxa, to Tambillo, where ths 

 ridge of the mountainous territory commences, a space of seven leagues by compu- 

 tation, were speedily mended ; and six leagues were afterwards cleared to the old 

 town and delightful valley of Monobamba. Five other leagues were next opened 

 and levelled, to establish the communication between Monobamba and the valley 

 and fort of Vitoc. Lastly, a church, a house for the reception of the ecclesiastics, 

 quarters for the troops, and a convent, were built by me ; and I left two missio^.- 

 naries in the spiritual charge of the new settlers. 



KNTRANCE INTO THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRITORY BY THE SIDE OF HUANTA. 



In the year 1677, the venerable father Biedma*, with a view to procure a better 

 entrance to Sonomoro than the one by Andamarca, above pointed out, proceeded 

 to the Andes of the town of Tambo, distant seven leagues from Huanta, and em- 

 barked on the river Pampas, or Cocharcas. After having navigated for the space 

 of eight days, he was led to debark, in consequence of having ascertained that, in 

 following this course, he should be obliged to deviate very considerably from his 

 diredl: route. He next passed to the Andes of Huanta and Viscatan, entering af- 

 terwards by the rugged ground of Conchagara and Chiquia. On every side, and in 

 every direftion by which he attempted to penetrate, he found the entrance more 

 and more difficult, and the Cordillera less accessible. 



In the year I738f, friar Joseph Cavanes, having the same object in view, pene- 



* Amich, p. 35. 



t Tena, lib. ii. p. 181. 



trated 



