Towns and Places of chief note.
In this part of the Province the chief are, 1. Baeza, otherwise call’d Quixos, built in the Year 1559. by Ramires de Avila, eighteen Leagues from Cusco.
2. Archidona, twenty Leagues to the South-East of Baeza. 3. Avila. 4. Sevilla del Oro, all of them Spanish Colonies.
The Territories Pacomores and Yguansongo, otherwise call’d The Countrey of Juan de Salinas, are said both to extend above a hundred Leagues in length, and little less in breadth. The Fields afford store of Pasture for Cattel, the Plough’d Lands produce Wheat and all sorts of wholsom Herbs; and in some places are also rich Gold-Mines.
The Governor Layola built four Towns here, viz. 1. Valladolid; 2. Loyola; 3. San Jago de los Montanas; and 4. Caruma.
The Jesuit Acosta relates, That not far from Caruma he found great Stones, some of which were full of Golden Veins, but were hard to be cut from the Rock. Most of the Gold is found in the Sand of several Rivers, the chiefest whereof flow through Quito, New Granada, Valdivia in Chili, and Caravaya in Peru.
On the Point of Quito, the River San Jago falls into the Southern Ocean; the Ground in the Mouth of the River being very uneven, for oftentimes the Ships are fast aground at the Stern, and on Head they have above eighty Fathom Water; yet nevertheless the Shoals are no ways dangerous.
South-West from St. Jago lies the spacious Inlet Mattheo, and the Promontory Francisco, known by its Banks and high Grounds, which shew red and white at a great distance.
Not far from hence, exactly under the Equinox, appears Cape Passao, flat and low; between which and Mattheo, the great Rivers Los Quiximes fall into the Sea.
Behind Passao rises the high Mountain Quaque; and more Westerly the Bay Caraques affords a secure Harbor for all manner of Vessels.