PLATEAU OF CAXAMARCA. 419 



Cordillera (adjacent to Chorillos and Cascas), covered with 

 huge blocks of quartz 13 or 15 feet long; and the plains of 

 Chala and Molinos, as far as the sea coast near Truxillo, lay 

 extended before our eyes, with a wonderful effect of apparent 

 proximity. We now, for the first time, commanded a view 

 of the Pacific. We saw it distinctly; reflecting along the line 

 of the coast an immense mass of light, and rising in immea- 

 surable expanse until bounded by the clearly-defined horizon. 

 The delight which my companions, Bonpland and Carlos 

 Montufar, shared with me in viewing this prospect, caused us 

 to forget to open the barometer on the Alto de Guangamarca. 

 According to a calculation which we made at a place some- 

 what lower down (an isolated farm called the Hato de Guanga- 

 marca), the point at which we first gained a view of the 

 ocean, must have been at no greater an elevation than between 

 9380 and 9600 feet. 



The view of the Pacific was solemnly impressive to one, 

 who, like myself, was greatly indebted for the formation of 

 his mind, and the direction given to his tastes and aspirations, 

 to one of the companions of Captain Cook. I made known 

 the general outline of my travelling schemes to John Forster, 

 when I had the advantage of visiting England under his 

 guidance, now more than half a century ago. Forster's charming 

 pictures of Otaheite had awakened throughout Northern Europe 

 a deep interest (mingled with a sort of romantic longing), in 

 favour of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. At that period, 

 when but few Europeans had been fortunate enough to visit 

 those islands, I cherished the hope of seeing them, at least in 

 part; for the object of my visit to Lima was twofold : first, to 

 observe the transit of Mercury over the solar disc, and 

 secondly, to fulfil a promise I had made to Captain Baudin, 

 on my departure from Paris. This promise was to join him 

 in the circumnavigatory voyage which he was to undertake 

 as soon as the French Republic could furnish the necessary 

 funds. 



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