47S A VOYAGE TO Book VL 



having na fuch hold on the harder bodies, it is foon 

 wafhed off by the agitation of the water-, that if 

 now and then fuch crufts are feen on ftones, they 

 never inake any fenfible addition to their voltinne, 

 though fome excrenient is now confpicuous from 

 the difference of the colour: that of the petrified 

 leaves, both v/ithin and without, is of a pale yellow ; 

 and the fame prevails in the ftems : though in thefe 

 always with a mixture of that of the wood itfclf when 



Though all the jurirdi<^Vions of the kingdom of 

 Qiiito, from N. to S. are not molefted by the vi- 

 cinity of wild Indians, yet it is the misfortune of the 

 governments of Qiiixos and Macas, Jaen and May- 

 nas, to be furrounded and intermixed v/ith thofe bar* 

 barians fo that by only paffing the eaffern Cordil- 

 lera of the Andes, towards that part you ufually 

 meet Vv'ith them : and from fome parts of thofe emi- 

 nences the fmoke of their cottages may be feen. 

 This fight is moff frequently beheld from the moun- 

 tain on the back of the town of Cayambe j and ail 

 along to the northward, from the village of Mira 

 within the jurifdi^lion of the town of San Miguel^ 

 de Ibarra. The fportfmen, when hunting on thofe 

 hills, often fee the fmoke both on this fide and like- 

 wife on the fame Cordillera, from the jurifdidion of 

 Riobamba, to that of Cuen^a, The village of Mira 

 has often been furprized with the fudden appearance 

 of fome of thefe Indians •, but they have as fuddenly 

 fturned back, and with the fame hafte they came. It 

 is ^ not uncommon for Indians of thefe jurifdid;ions, 

 from a fondnefs for doth and licentioufnefs, to leave 

 their houfes and go over to the favages ; as among 

 them they may, without controul, follow their natu- 

 ral idolatry, and give themfelves up to clrunkennef^ - 

 and all manner of vice ; and, what they think a fu- 

 preme happinefs, be ferved and attended by women, 



whpfe 



