Ch. IV. SOUTH AMERICA. 95 



good pafiure. It is certain that there are no horfes or 

 aíTes bred here, which tends to confirm the opinion 

 that this climate checks the generation of creatures 

 produced in a more benign or lefs noxious air. How- 

 ever, not to rely on the common opinion, we inquired 

 of fome intelligent perfons, who differed but very 

 little from the vulgar, and even confirmed what they 

 aflerted, by many known faiils, and experiments per- 

 formed by themfelves. 



The liquor in Mr. Reaumur's thermometer, on the 

 4th of December 1735, at fix in the morning, ftood at 

 1021, and at noon rofe to 1023. 



The heat here is exceffive, augmented by the fitua- 

 tion of the town, which is furroundcd wiih high moun- 

 tains, without any interval for the winds, whereby it , 

 might be refrefhed. The trees on the mountains fiand 

 fo thick, as to intercept the rays of the fun ; and, con- 

 fequently, hinder them from drying the earth under 

 their branches : hence copious exhalations, which forn> 

 large clouds, and precipitate in violent torrents of 

 rain ; thefe are no fooner over, than the fun breaks 

 forth afrefh, and ihines with its former fplendour ; 

 though fcarce has the a61:ivity of his rays dried the 

 furface of the ground not covered by the trees, when 

 the atmofphere is again crowded by another colle^lion 

 of thick vapours, and the fun again concealed. Thus 

 it continues during the whole dav : the nÍ2;ht is fub- 

 je6l to the like vicifiitudes ; but without the leafl di- 

 minution of heat in either. 



These torrents of rain, which, by their fuddenneis 

 and impetuofity, leem to thr^^aten a fecond deluge, are 

 accompanied with fuch tempefts of thunder and light- 

 ning, as muft daunt even the moitrefolute : this dread- 

 ful noife is prolonged by repercuilions from the ca- 

 verns of the mountains, like the explofion of a cannon, 

 the rumbling of which is heard for a minute after. 

 To this may alfo be added the howUngs and ihrieks of 

 the multitudes of mcnkies of all kinds, which live in 



the 



