±50 AVOYAGETO Book V, 



longitude from the meridian of Teneriff. It {lands 

 in the inlaad parts of the continent of South Ame- 

 rica, and on the eaftern fkirts of the weft Cordillera 

 of the Andes. Its diftance from the coaft of the 

 South -fea is about 35 leagues weft. Contiguous to 

 it, on the north-weft, is the mountain and defert of 

 Pichincha, not lefs famous among ftrangers for its 

 great height, than among the natives for the great 

 riches it has been imagined to contain ever fince the 

 times of idolatry ; and this only from a vague and 

 unfupported tradition. The city is built on the ac- 

 clivity of that miOuntain, and furrounded by others of 

 a middling height, among the breaches, or guaycos, 

 as they are called here, which form the eminences of 

 Pichincha. Some of thefe breaches are of a confider- 

 able depth, and run quite through it, fo that great 

 part of the buildings ftand upon arches. This renders 

 the ftreets irregular and extremely uneven, fome 

 being built on the afcents, defcents, and fummiis cf 

 the breaches. This city, with regard to magnitude, 

 may be compared to one of the fecond order in Eu- 

 rope ; but the unevennefs of its fituation is a great: 

 difadvantage to its appearance. 



Near it are two fpacious plains one on the fouth 

 called Turu-bamba, three leagues in length ; and the 

 other on the north, termed Inna-Qiiiro, about two 

 leagues in extent. Both are interfperfed with feats and 

 cultivated lands, which greatly add to the profpeft 

 from the city, L-jing continually covered with a lively 

 verdure, and the neighbouring plains and hills always 

 enameled with flowers, there being here a perpetual 

 fpring. This fcene is beautifully diverfified with large 

 numbers of cattle feeding on the eminences, though 

 the luxuriancy of the foil is fuch, that they cannot 

 confume all the herbage. 



These two plains contrail as they approach the 

 city, and at their jundion form a neck of land, co- 

 vered with thofe eminences on which part of Qiiito 



ftands« 



