Ch. VIII. SOUTH AMERICA. i^/ 



weight affigned it, which is a net lying acrofs one end 

 of it, while an Indian (lands in an ere6l pofition on 

 the other and, by the help of a canalete or oar, puts 

 off to fea, to the diftance of half a league or more, 

 where he fhoots his net. Another Indian, who fol- 

 lows him on a fimilar log, takes hold of the rope 

 fattened to one end of the net •, and when the whole is 

 extended, they both move towards the land, where 

 their partners wait to draw the net a fhore. And 

 here one cannot help obferving with aftonirtiment 

 the dexterity and agility of the Indians, in maintain- 

 ing an equilibrium on round logs, where, by the con- 

 tinual agitations of the fea, they muft be always 

 changing their pofition, and making different motions 

 with their body ; and what ftill heightens the dif- 

 ficulty is, that he is obliged, at the fame time, to mind 

 both his oar and the net, in drawing it towards the 

 land. They are indeed excellent fwimmers ; fo that 

 if they happen (which is very feldom) to flip off, they 

 are foon on the log again, and in their former pof- 

 ture j at leaft, they are in no danger of being fhip- 

 wrecked. 



I SHALL place Punta de Santa Elena as the fecond 

 lieutenancy, becaufe it joins to the fouth part of the 

 former. It extends all along the weftern coafb from 

 the ifles of Plata and Salango, to the fame Punta de 

 Santa Elena ; from thence it ftretches along the north 

 coall, formed by the bay of Guayaquil •, compre- 

 hending in this extent the towns of Punta, Chongon, 

 Morro, Colonche, and Chandui. At Chongon and 

 Morro two priefts refide, to whofe parifhes the others 

 belong. The lieutenant, invefted with the civil go- 

 yernment, refides in the town of Punta, two leagues 

 from the port, where there are indeed warehoufes, or 

 rather ftieds, for receiving fait and other goods, but no 

 dwelling-houfes. 



The port of Punta has fo many fait works, that it 

 fupplies the whole province of Quito and jurifdldtion 



M 4 of 



