' 34^ A VOYAGE TO Book VI. 



Though the country of Atacames lay thus neg- 

 lected for fome years after the introdudtion of the 

 Chriilian religion, and its inhabitants had performed 

 homage to the king of Spain ; yet the importance of 

 making fectlements here, and cultivating the ground, 

 for facilitating the commerce betwixt the province of 

 Qiiito and the kingdom of Terra Firma, was not un- 

 known, as thereby an end would be put to the in- 

 conveniences of carrying it on by the way of Guaya- 

 quil which being a great circuit, the trade fufFered 

 in many particulars : and indeed could not long have 

 fubfifted, without making a fettlement of Spaniards in 

 Atacames ; as thus the way would be much fhorter 

 for the commerce betwixt Terra Firma and Quito, 

 which now conveniently fupplies it with provifions of 

 all kinds, and receives European goods in return. 



Pursuant to thefe views, Paul Durango Delga- 

 clillo was in the year 1621 appointed governor of 

 Atacames and Rio de las Efmaraldas. He had fome 

 years before entered into a contrail vs^ith the Marquis 

 de Montes Claros for opening a way from the town of 

 San Miguel de Ibarra to the river Santiago, one of 

 thofe v^hich traverfed the country belonging to the 

 jurildidtion of this government ; and likewjfe to peo- 

 ple and cultivate it. But failing of fulfilling the 

 agreement, though he was not wanting in endeavours, 

 the government in the year 1626 was taken from him 

 and conferred on Francifco Perez Menacho, who 

 however had no better fuccefs than he vAio had been 

 difplaced. \ 



After thefe two, came Juan Vincencio Jufdniani 

 in the fame charadler ; but he, feeing the inluperable 

 difficulties according to the methods of his prede- 

 cefTors, confidently offered to make the way by the 

 river Mira, but alfo failed in the execution and Don 

 Hernando de Soto Calderon, who began it in the year 

 171 3, and rather more fanguine in his aiTurances of 

 fuccefs than the form.er, alfo difappointed the general 

 . . expeda- 



