298 A VOYAGE TO Book VL 



VIII. The city of Cuen^a. 

 IX. The city of Loja. 



Of thefe nine jurifdidlions 1 fhall give a luccinct ac- 

 count in this and the following chapter, and then pro» 

 ceed to the governments, 



I. The tov/n of San Miguel de Ibarra^ is the capi- 

 tal of the jurifdidion of that name, which alfo con- 

 tains eight principal villages or parillies, the names of 

 which are, 



I. Mira. ' V. Salinas. 



11. Fimanpiro. VL Tumbabiro* 



III. Carangue. VII. Quilca. 



IV. San Antonio de Carangue. VIII. Caguafqui* 



This jurifdiflion formerly included that of Otaba- 

 lo ; but, on account of its too enormous extent, ic 

 was prudently divided into two. 



The town of San Miguel de Ibarra (lands on the 

 extremity of a very large plain or meadow, at a fmall 

 diftance from a chain of mountains to the eaftward of 

 it, and betwixt two rivers, which keep this whole plain 

 in a perpetual verdure. The foil is foft and moiil, 

 which not only renders the houfes damp, but alfo 

 caufes the foundations of their buildings often to 

 fink. It is moderately large, with ftraight broad 

 ftreets, and the greateft part of the houfes of ftone^' 

 or unburnt bricks, and all tiled. The town is fur- 

 rounded by fuburbs inhabited by the Indians, whofe 

 cottages make the fame appearance as in all other mean 

 places ; but the houfes are neat and uniform, though 

 they are but low, having only a ground floor, except 

 thofe in the fquare, which have one flory. The pariih 

 church is a large and elegant fcruclurej and of the 

 fame materials as the houfes. It is alfo well orna- 

 mented. This town has convents of Francifcans, Do-^ 

 minicans, the Fathers of Mercy, a college of Jefuits^ 



3 



