Gh. ÍI. SOUTH AMERICA. 221 



those were clear. Pichincha was involved in clouds. 

 Ic was therefore necessary to erect our signals in a 

 lower situation, and in a more favourable region. 

 This, however, did not produce any change in our 

 habitation till December, when, having finished the 

 observations which particularly concerned Pichincha, 

 we proceeded to others ^ but with no abatement either 

 of inconvcniencies, cold or fatigue, the places where 

 v/e made all our observations being necessarily on the 

 highest parts of the deserts; so that the only respite, in 

 which v/e enjoyed fome little ease, was during the 

 short interval of passing from one to the other. 

 . In all our stations subsequent to that on Pichincha, 

 during our fatiguing mensuration of the degrees of the 

 meridian, each company lodged in a field-tent, which, 

 though small, we found less inconvenient than our 

 Pichincha hut, though at the same time we had more 

 trouble, being ofcener obliged to clear it from the snow, 

 as the weight of it would otherwise have demolished 

 the tent. At first, indeed, we pitched it in the most 

 sheltered places , but, on taking a resolution that the 

 tents themselves should serve for signals, to prevent 

 the inconvenienceof those of wood, we removed them 

 to a more exposed situation, where the impetuosity of 

 the winds sometimes tore up the piquets, and blew 

 them down. Then we were not a little pleased with 

 our having brought supernumerary tents, and with 

 our dexterity in pitching another instead of that which 

 the wind had torn away. Indeed, without this pre- 

 caution, we should have been in the utmost danger 

 of perishing. In the desert of Asuay we particularly 

 experienced the benefit of this expedient -, three tents 

 belonging to our company being obliged to be pitched 

 one after another, till at last they all became/unfit for 

 use, and two stout poles were broken. In this ter- 

 rible condition our only resource vvas to quit the post, 

 which ^ was next to the signal of Sinasaguan, and 

 shelter ourselves in a breach or chasm. The cwocom^ 



panics 



