STUDY IV. 



155 



teftimony of Garcilla/o de la Vega *, a rampart for- 

 tified with pyramids of ice, inacceffible to men, 

 to quadrupeds, and even to birds. 



The mountains of the iflhmus of Panama, on 

 the contrary, which are nearly under the Line, 

 have an elevation fo fmall, in comparifon with the 

 Andes, that Admiral An/on, who had coafted along 

 the whole, relates, that on his arriving at thefe 

 heights, he experienced flifling heats, becaufe the 

 air, fa5^s he, was not refrelhed by the Atmofphere 

 of the lofty mountains of Chili and Peru. 



The hlgheft mountains of Alia are entirely out 

 of the Tropics. The chain, known by the names 

 of Taurus and Imaus, commences, in Africa, at 

 Mount Atlas, toward the thirtieth degree of nor- 

 thern latitude. It runs acrofs all Africa and all 

 Afia, between the thirty-eighth and fortieth de- 

 gree of north latitude, having it*s fummit covered, 

 for the moft part, through that immenfe extent, 

 with fnows that never melt ; a proof, as (hall after- 

 wards be demonftrated, of a very confiderable 

 elevation. 



Mount Ararat, which makes part of this chain, 

 is, perhaps, more elevated than any mountain of 



* Hiftory of the Incas. Book I. chap. 8. 



the 



