900 A VOYAGE TO Book VIU 



'" hardsuipSj and operations; and -«vith an unani- 

 ■'' movis consent determined in this plain of Yarnqui 

 '' a horizontal distance o{^6272 tM Paris toiscs in 

 '' a. line wliosc direction -svas N. 19' 25' 3(>' westerly; 

 '' and intercepted between the axes of tliis and the 

 " other obelislc, as the base or side of the first tri- 

 ^'^ angle, and a foundation for the whole work. In 

 " the month of Novcniber, 173(). In the memory of 

 '' which trani^action an obciis|: has been erected at 

 " each extremity of the said base." 



We had now been three months at QuifO, wait- 

 ing till Mr. Hu^ot^ instiuraent-makcr to the Com- 

 pany, had finished some indispensable works in which 

 }ic was then employed, that he might accompany 

 lis to the ])lacc where M. Godin, after finishing the 

 observations, hail left the instrnm.ent, which reqnired 

 some repairs in order for cnr making use of it in 

 finishing our part of tjie work. But on the Jíh of 

 December, 1741, w]ien we were animated with the 

 hopes of concluding our task in two or tlnee days, 

 the melancholy nev/s arrived at Quito, that Paita 

 had been pillaged and burnt by a squadron of men 

 of war, conimaiidcd by Ctnumodore Anson ; and was 

 too soon confirmee}, in all its circumstances, by let- 

 ters from i|]e corregidor and othe^* oflioers of Pinra, 

 giving an accqunt ih'di on the í^4tb of November,» 

 at two in the mprning, the Cpnturipn nian of \\ ar, 

 being the Co'^nmodore's ship, had entered that har.- 

 bour, and sent her long-boat a-shore with forty 

 armed mpn, under the advantage of the night, 

 whereby the inhabitants and strangers who happened 

 to be in the place, were awaked from their sleep by 

 the shocking surprize of an invasion, the first notice 

 of which were gi\ en by the cvies of a negro ; so that 

 filled with confusion and terror, like persons unable to 

 recollect themselves, most of thera had leaped fioia 

 heir beds, anci fled naked from their houses, with- 

 pjitivncwmg wheihcrtheircucjnics were in possession 



