Ch. hi. south AMERICA. 229 



health and vigour of all were in some measure im- 

 paired. 



CHAP. III. 



The Names of the Deserts and other Places ivhere the 

 Signals were erected for forming the Series of Tri- 

 angles for measuring an Arch of the Meridian. 



TN order to gratify the curiosity of the reader with 

 regard to our operations, I shall mention, in sepa- 

 rate articles, the places where each company made 

 their observations, and the time they were obliged to 

 remain there ; omitting a detail of circumstances, 

 many of which would be little more than a para- 

 phrase on the subject of the preceding chapter. Nor 

 shall I here include those stations used in the year 

 1736, after measuring the base of Yaruqui, both on 

 its extremities and in the deserts of Pambamarca and 

 Yllahalo; for the disposition of the triangles being 

 afterwards altered, they were repeated. Therefore, 

 considering them as not used at that time, I shall be- 

 gin with those stations in v/hich no such circumstances 

 happened, and range them in the order they were 

 occupied. 



Deserts on which the signals were erected for the opera- 

 tions conducted by M. de la Condamrne and myself. 



' I. Signal on the desert of Pichincha. 



The signal was at first erected on ihe highest sum- 

 mit of Pichincha, but afterwards removed to an- 

 other station at the foot of the pic ; the top having 

 been afterwards found not to be the most proper [jlace. 

 We began our observations on this mountain on the 



Q 3 14th 



