a town of South America, in Peru (see Peru, p. 213.), seated between two chains of high mountains called Cordillera de los Andes, on much higher ground than the rest of habitable Peru. It is 300 yards higher than the level of the sea according to the exactest observations. The town is 1600 yards long and 1200 broad, and is the seat of a bishop. It contains about 35,000 inhabitants, one third of whom are originally Spaniards. Among the inhabitants are some persons of high rank and distinction, descended either from the original conquerors, or persons who at different times came from Spain invested with some lucrative post. The number of these, however, is but small. The commonalty, besides Spaniards, consist of Mestizos, Indians, and Negroes; but the last are not proportionally proportionally numerous. Merchandizes and commodities of all sorts are extremely dear, partly on account of the difficulty of bringing them.

There are several religious communities at Quito, and two colleges or universities governed by Jesuits and Dominicans.

The principal courts held at Quito are that of the royal audience, which consists of the president, who is governor of the province with regard to law affairs; four auditors, who are at the same time civil and criminal judges; a royal fiscal, who, besides the causes brought before the audience, takes cognizance of everything relating to the revenue; and an officer styled the protector of the Indians, who solicits for them, and when they are injured pleads in their defence. The next is the treasury, the chief officers of which are an accountant, a treasurer, and a royal fiscal. The tribunal of the Croisade, which has a commissary, who is generally some dignitary of the church, and a treasurer. There is also a treasury for the effects of persons deceased: an institution established all over the Indies, for receiving the goods of those whose lawful heirs are in Spain, in order to secure them from those accidents to which they might be liable in private hands. There is likewise a commissary of the inquisition, with an alguazil-major and familiars, appointed by the inquisition at Lima. The corporation consists of a corregidor, two ordinary alcaldes, chosen annually, and regidores. The latter superintend the election of the alcaldes, which is attended with no small disturbance, the people being divided into two parties, the Creoles and Europeans.