352. A V O Y A G E T O Book VI. 



courage v/hen intereft was in view, for reducing the 

 indians and making fettlenients in the country j vv'hich 

 he accordingly accompliilied, and founded the town 

 of Baeza, the capital of the government, in the year 

 1559-, ^^^^^^'^ followed by other towns and 



villages, ftill exifcing; but with very little improve- 

 ment beyond their firfl; llate. 



The town of Baeza, though the mofl ancient of the 

 country ♦ and long the refidence of the governors, has 

 always remained very fmall, which is owing to the 

 building; of the tv/o cities of Avila and Archidona, 

 Hill fubfifting, an<^-at that time the chief objed of the 

 attention of the fettlers, Baeza being left as firft built ; 

 and thefe, fo far from having increafed fuitably to the 

 title of cities, which was given them at their founda- 

 tion, remain on their firfl footing. The caufe of the 

 low flare of the places here is the nature of the coun- 

 try, which, in air, fertility, and other enjoyments of 

 life, being inferior to that of Quito, few fettle here 

 vjho can live in the other. Baeza is indeed extreme- 

 ly declined, confiiting only of eight or nine thatched 

 houfes, with about twenty inhabitants of all ages, fo 

 that from the capital it is become annexed to the pa- 

 rifh of Papalladla, in v/hich tov^n refides the priefl, 

 who has befides under his care another town called 

 Mafpu. This decay was no more than a confequence 

 of the removal of the governor, Vv'ho of late has re- 

 fided at Archidona, 



The city of Archidona is a fmall place, lying in 

 one degree and a few mjinutes S. of the equinodfial, 

 and about one degree 50 minutes E. of the mxridian 

 of Quito. The houfes are of wood, covered with 

 ftraw, and the whole num.ber of its inhabitants is 

 reckoned at betwixt 650 and 700, confifting of Spa^ 

 niards, Indians, Meftizos, and Mulattos : it has only 

 oneprieft, under v/hofecare are alfo three other towns^ 

 called Mifagualli, Tena, and Napo the iaft receives 

 its name from the river on the borders of which it 



fiands ; 



