t90 A VOYAGE TO Book ¥. 



worm, but v^^hiter than the hufK of the grain. It is 

 an annual plant, bfmg fowed and reaped every year„ 

 The ftem is about three or four feet in heip-ht, and 

 has a large pointed leaf, fomething like that of the 

 malloro the flower is of a deep red^ and five or fix 

 inches in length, and in it are contained the grains 

 or feed. The quinoa is eaten boiled like rice, andi 

 has a very pleafant tafte; and the water in which it 

 has been boiled, is often ufed as an apozem. The 

 quinoa is ufed in external applications, in order to 

 which it is ground and boiled to a proper confidence 

 and applied to the part afFe6led, from which it foon 

 extra6ts all corrupt humours occafioned by a con- 

 tufion. 



Besides domeftic animals, here are great numbers 

 of rabbits caught on the deferts. The partridges are 

 not very plenty, and rather refemble a quail than thofe 

 of Europe. Turtle doves abound here, greatly ovv^ing 

 to the indolence of the inhabitants in not endeavouring 

 to take them. 



But one of the principal foods ufed by the inhabi- 

 tants is cheefe, of which it is computed that the quan- 

 tity annually confumed amounts to between 70 and 8q 

 thoufand dollars of that country m.oney. It is ufed in 

 various manners, and is the chief ingredient in many 

 diihes. The neighbourhood of Quito alfo affords ex- 

 cellent butter, and of which there is a great confump- 

 tion, but fails far fhort of that of cheefe. 



The fondnefs of thefe people for fweetmeats ex- 

 ceeds every thing I have' ever mentioned of other 

 countries ; and this neceffarily occafions a great con- 

 fumption of fugar and honey. One method of in- 

 dulging this appetite is, to fqueeze the juice out of 

 the fugar canes, let it fettle, and curdle it, out of 

 which they make fmall cakes, which they call rafpa- 

 duras. This is fo highly valued by the lower clafs, 

 that with a (lice of it, and another of bread and cheefe, 

 they make as hearty a meal as the rich v;ith all their 



■ ■ ■ " " ' ' ' ■■ ' variety 



