12 A VOYACxE TO Book VIL 



travelÜRí;' it. The whole country between these two 

 places is a level sandy desavt. 



Though the badncFS iiaá danger of <he roads in Peru 

 scarce admit oC any other method of travelling than on 

 mules, yet ñoin Piuia to Lima there is a conveniency 

 cf going in litters. These instead of poles are sus- 

 pended on two large canes, like those of Guayaquil^, 

 and are hung- in such a manner as not to touch the 

 water in fording livers, nor strike agaii-st the rocks in 

 the ascents or descents of difücalí roads. 



As the mules hired at Piura perform the whole 

 journey to Lima, without being* relieved, and in this 

 great distance, are many long desaris to be crossed, 

 <be natural fatigue of the distance, increased by the 

 sandiness of the roads, render some intervals of rest 

 absolutely necessary, especialis at Sechura, because on 

 leaving that town we enter the great desart of the 

 same name. Vve tarried here two days ; during 

 which we observed the latitude, and found it 5^ 32' 



The original situation of this town v. as contigu- 

 ous to the sea, at a small distance from a point called 

 Aguja; but being de.«ti-oyed by an inundation, it was 

 thought proper to biiiid the present town of Sechu- 

 ra about a league distance from the coast, rear a 

 river of the same name, and which is subject to the 

 same alterations as that of Piura ; for at ííie time we 

 crossed it no water v% as to be seen ; whereas from the 

 months of February or March till Augu.st or Septem- 

 ber, its water is so deep and the current so strong, as 

 to be passed only in balzas ; as we found in our se- 

 cond and third joun ey to Lima When the ri\er is 

 dry, the inhabitants make use of the above-mentioned 

 expedient of digging wells in its beds, where they in- 

 deed Hud Wilier but very thick and brackish. Se- 

 chura contaiiis about 200 houses of cane, and a 

 large and handsome brick church; the inhabitants 



are 



