Ch. III. SOUTH AMERICA. 247 



and baggage, they went to Cuen9a, to survey the plains 

 of Talqui and l(^s Baiinos, in order to make choice of 

 one oi*Lhem for measuring the base ; and havingpitch- 

 ed on the latter, and consulted with us relating to the 

 signals wanting, they returned to the town of Azogues. 



XXIII. Signal on the desert of Yasuay. 



ON,the 1 5th of June they proceeded to the desert of 

 Yasuay, and continued there till the nth of July; 

 when, havingfinished their observations, they returned 

 to Cuen^!, wliere they employed ciieniseive^ in mea- 

 suring the ba*e on the plain of los Bannos, and in be- 

 ginning theastronomical observaiions. This they pro- 

 secuted with incessant diligence till the loth of De- 

 cember following, when, in order to continue them 

 with the greater precision and certainty, a new instru- 

 meiiL Decame necessary, and for this purpose they re- 

 paired to Quito, 



XXIV. XXV. XXVI. XXVII. Signals of Nam a- 

 relie, Guanacauri, los Bannos, and the tower of the 



great church of Cuerj9a. 



Whilst they were making the astronomical obser- 

 vations at Cuer.^a, they also, by unwearied diligence, 

 finished chose relating to the geometrical niensuradon 

 at the four scacions of Namr.reite, Guanacauri, los Ban- 

 nos, and the tdv.er of the great church of Cuenga. 

 The first three stations were to connect the base (which 

 reached from Guanacauri to losBannos) with the series 

 of triangles; and the last served for the observatory 

 jointly with the base. The observations at all these 

 were completely finished at this timej for though the 

 next year v. c round it necessary to go toCuen^a to re- 

 peat ihe astronomical observations, yet all 'die opera- 

 tions relating to the geometrical mensurations were 

 accurately finished at this time, 



R 4 XXVIII. 



