i66 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



the towns of Monte Chrifto, Picoafa, Charapoto, and 

 Xipijapa. Thefe have their particular priefts, who 

 are likewife the fpiritnal diredlors of all the fmaller 

 yillacres in this diilricr. 



The town of Monte Chrifto flood at firft in the 

 bay of Manta, and was called by that name. It had 

 then a confiderable commerce by means of vefTeis, 

 paffing from Panama to the ports of Peru but, having 

 been pillaged and deRroyed by fome foreign adven- 

 turers, who infefted thofe feas, the inhabitants re- 

 moved it to the foot of Monte Chriilo, where it now 

 Hands, and from whence it has its name. 



Some tobacco is planted in this jurifdidlion ; but is 

 not much efteemed ; and the reft of its produds, as 

 wax, cotton, and pita^ are barely fufFicient to fupport 

 its inhabitants, though they are far from being nu- 

 merous ; occafioncd by the general poverty which 

 reigns through all its towns and villages. The kinds 

 of timber natural to fuch hot and moift countries 

 grow here in prodigious quantities. 



Formerly along the coaft, and in the bay belonging 

 to this lieutenancy, was a confiderable pearl fiftiery ; 

 but it has been totally difcontinued for fome years ; 

 occafioned partly from the dangers the divers were ex- 

 pofed to, and from the mantas and tintoreras already 

 defcribed partly from the poverty of the inhabitants 

 of this country, who, being in general Indians and 

 Cafts, want ability to purchafe Negroes for this occu- 

 pation. The bay has probably its name from the 

 great number of mantas in thofe parts, efpecially as 

 the common employment of the inhabitants is the 

 taking of that filh, which they fait, and carry into the 

 inland provinces. The Europeans cannot help ad- 

 miring their dexterity in this kind of fifhery, which 

 they carry on in the following manner. They throw 

 into the water a log of v/ood, fuch as they ufe in mak- 

 ing a balza, being about five or fix yards in length, 

 aiid near a foot in diameter^ and fufBcient to bear tho 



)veight 



