4 



.Ch. I. SOUTH AMERICA. 20ij 



We now began to defccnd with more eafe towards the 

 province of Cliimbo, though the road v;as not much 

 better than the former. Here we were met by the 

 corregidor of Guaranda or Chimbo, attended by the 

 provincial alcalde, and the moil: eminent perfons of 

 the town. After complimenting us in the mod cor- 

 dial manner on our arrival, v;e proceeded together, 

 and, within a league of the town, were met by the 

 prieft, a Dominican, accompanied by feveral of his 

 ,order, and a great numiber of the inhabitants, who 

 ^ilfo left the town on the famie friendly occafion ; and, 

 to heighten the ceremony, had brought with them a 

 troop of cholos, or Indian boys. 



These cholos were dreffed in blue, p-irded round 

 their waifts with faflies, on their heads a kind of tur- 

 ban, and in their hands they carried flags. This little 

 corps was divided into two or three companies, and 

 went before us dancing, and finging fome words in. 

 their language, which, as we were told, exprefied the 

 pleafure they received from the fight of fuch perfons 

 arrived fafe in their country. In this manner our ca- 

 valcade entered the town, on Vv^hich all the bells in 

 the place were rung, and every houfe refounded with 

 the noife of trumpets, tabors, and pipes. 



On expreffing to the corregidor our furprize at this 

 reception, as a CQmpliment far above our rank, he in- 

 formed us, that it was not at all fmgular, it being no 

 more than what was commonly pra6lifed when perfons 

 of any appearance ' enter the town ; and that there 

 was no fmall emulation between the feveral towns, in 

 paying thefe congratulations. . 



After v/e had pafTed the mountains beyond Pa- 

 cara, the whole country, within the reach of the eye, 

 during a pafTage of tv/o leagues, was a level and open 

 plain, v/ithout trees or mountains, covered with fields 

 cf wheat, barley, maize, and other grain, whofe ver- 

 dure, different from that of the miountain, naturally 

 gave us great pleafure; our fight for near a twelve- 

 month 



