51 



the nipple in men has long puzzled philoso- 

 phers ; and it has even been recently affirmed, 

 " that Nature has refused to one of the sexes 

 the faculty of sucking*, because this faculty 

 would not accord with the dignity of man # ." 



On approaching the town of Cumanacoa, 

 we found a more level soil, and a valley en- 

 larging itself progressively. This small town 

 is situate in a naked plain, almost circular, sur- 

 rounded by lofty mountains, having a dull and 

 melancholy aspect. It's population is scarcely 

 two thousand three hundred inhabitants; in the 

 time of Father Caulin*}-, in 175,3, it was only 

 six hundred. The houses are low and slight, 

 and, with the exception of three or four, all 

 built of wood. We succeeded however in plac- 

 ing our instruments advantageously enough in 

 the house of the administrator of the duties on 

 tobacco, Don Juan Sanchez, an amiable man, 

 with much quickness of understanding. He 

 bad prepared for us a spacious and commo- 

 dious abode, where we spent four days, and he 

 obligingly accompanied us in all our excursions. 

 Cumanacoa was founded in 1717 by Domin- 



* Comment. Petrop., Tom. iii, p. 277. 



+ Hist. Cor., p. 309 et 217. Recent travellers make the 

 population of Cumanacoa amount to 5000 souls. But I have 

 already observed (Chap. 4, Vol. ii, p. 201), that it is in con- 

 sequence of researches made with the king's officers, and in- 

 telligent planters, that I have assigned a smaller number. 



E 2 



