ISO HISTORY OF 



a most astonishing height, with great coldness. 

 However, at a determined point above the sur- 

 face of the sea, the congelation is found at the 

 same height in all the mountains. Those parts 

 which are not subject to a continual frost, have 

 here and there growing upon them a rush, re- 

 sembling the genista, but much more soft and 

 flexible. Towards the extremity of the part 

 where the rush grows, and the cold begins to in- 

 crease, is found a vegetable, with a round bul- 

 bous head, which, when dried, becomes of amaz- 

 ing elasticity. Higher up, the earth is entirely 

 bare of vegetation, and seems covered with eter- 

 nal snow. The most remarkable mountains are, 

 that of Cotopaxi (already described as a volcano), 

 Chimborazo, and Pichincha. Cotopaxi is more 

 than three geographical miles above the surface 

 of the sea : the rest are not much inferior. On 

 the top of the latter was my station for measuring 

 a degree of the meridian -, where I suffered par- 

 ticular hardships, from the intenseness of the 

 cold, and the violence of the storms. The sky 

 around was, in general, involved in thick fogs, 

 which, when they cleared away, and the clouds, 

 by their gravity, moved nearer to the surface of 

 the earth, they appeared surrounding the foot of 

 the mountain, at a vast distance below, like a sea, 

 encompassing an island in the midst of it. When 

 this happened, the horrid noises of tempests were 

 heard from beneath, then discharging themselves 

 on Quito, and the neighbouring country. I saw 

 the lightnings issuing from the clouds, and heard 

 the thunders roll far beneath me. All this time. 



