£i5 A VOYAGE TO Book VL 



The city of Guinea lies in z'' 53' 49" fouth lati- 

 tuck^ and 29' 25" well of the meridian of Qiiito. It 

 Hands in a very fpacious plain, along which, at about 

 half a league to the northward of the city, runs a 

 lirtlc river called Machangara ; and clofe to the fouth 

 fide of the city runs another known by the name of 

 Matadero. Befides thefe, at the diftance of a quarter 

 of a league, runs another called Yanuncay and at 

 about the fame diftance is another termed Los 

 Banos, from a village of that name, through which 

 it flows. All thefe rivers are at fome feafons forda^ 

 ble ; but at others can only be crofled with fafety 

 over the bridges. 



The plain in which this city ftands, reaches about 

 fix leagues from north to fouth ; and the four rivers, 

 whofe courfes are nearly in the fame diredlion, form, 

 at a fmall diftance, by the conflux of their ftreams, a 

 very large river. To the fouth of the city is another 

 plain of about two leagues in extent, and, with its 

 great variety of regular plantations of trees, and other 

 rural improvements, makes a very delightful ap- 

 pearance all the year round. 



This city may be clafl^ed among thofe of the fourth 

 order. Its ftreets are ftrait, and of a convenient 

 breadth *, the houfes of unburnt bricks, tiled, and 

 many of them have one ftory, the owners, from a ri- 

 diculous afte6lation of grandeur, preferring elegance 

 to fecurity. The fuburbs, inhabited by the Indians, 

 are, as ufual^ mean and regular. Several ftreams of 

 water, by gre^it labour, are brought from the above 

 rivers, and flow through the ftreets fo that the city is 

 plentifully fupplied ; and for its admirable fituation, 

 and the fertility of the foil, it miight be rendered the 

 paradife, not only of the province of Quito, but of 

 all Peru ; few cities being capable to boaft of fo many 

 advantages as concentre here ; but, either from fupine- 

 nefs or ignorance, they are far from being duly im- 

 proved. One circumftance, which adds a fingular 



