Ch. lií. SOUTH AMERICA. 21 



have derived Lima. Rimac is the name by which 

 both the valley and the river are still called. -This 

 appellation is derived from an idol to which the na- 

 tive Indiaws used to offer sacriiice, as did also tbo 

 Yncas, after they had extended their empire hither ; 

 and as it was supposed to return answer to the prayers 

 addressed to it, they called it by way of disiinctioa 

 Rimac, or, he who speaks. Lima, according to seve- 

 ral observations we made for that piirpose, stands in 

 the latitude of 12° 2' 31" S. and its longitude from the 

 meridian of Teneriffe is 299" 27' 71''. The variation 

 of the needle is 9' 2' 30' easterly. 



Its situation is one of the most advantageous that 

 can be imagined; for being in the centre of that spa- 

 cious valley, it commands the whole without any 

 difficulty. Northward, though ata considerable dis- 

 tance, is the cordillera, or chain of the Andes; from 

 v»'hence some hdls project into the valley, the nearest 

 of which to the city are those of St. Christopher, and 

 Amancaes. Tiie perpendicular height of the former, 

 according to a geometrical mensuration performed by 

 Don George Juan, and M. de la Condamine in 1737, 

 is 134 toises; but father Fevillee makes it 13i) toises 

 and one foot, which diíTcrence doubtless proceeds from 

 not having measured with equal exactness, the base oü 

 which both founded their calculations. The height 

 of the Amancaes, is little less than the former, and 

 situated about a quarter of a league from the citv. 



The river, which is of the same name, washers 

 the walls of Lima, and when not increased by the 

 torrents from the mountains is easily forded ; but at 

 other times, besides the increase of its breadth, its 

 depth and rapidity render fording impossible ; and 

 accordingly a very elegant and spacious stone bridge 

 is built over it, having at one end a gate, the 

 beautiful architecture over which is equal to the other 

 parts of this useful structure. This gate forms the 

 entrance into the citv, and leads to the grand square, 



which 



