ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 421 



to be an excellent prefer vative againft the ill confequence of any brulfes ; at leaft it is 

 ' drunk as fuch by all who come from the mountains, where fuch accidents are un- 

 avoidable. 



The canes being cut, they are left to dry, or, as they fay here, to be cured ; whence 

 they acquire fuch a degree of ftrength, that they ferve either for rafters, beams, floor- 

 ing, or even mafts for balzas. Ships which load with cacao are alfo ceiled with them, 

 to preferve the timbers from the great heat of that fruit. They are alfo ufed as poles 

 for litters, and in an infinite number of other particulars. 



The vijahua is a leaf generally five feet in length, and two and a half in breadth. 

 They grow wild, and without any ftem. The principal rib in the middle, is between 

 four and five lines in breadth, but all the other parts of the leaf are perfedly foft and 

 fmooth : the under fide is green, and the upper white, covered with a very fine white 

 and vifcid down. Befides the common ufe of it in covering houfes, it alfo ferves for 

 packing up fait, fifti, and other goods fent to the mountains ; as it fecures them from 

 the rain. They are alfo, in thefe defert places, of fingular ufe for running up huts on 

 any exigency. 



The bejucos are a kind of ligneous cordage, and of two kinds ; one growing from 

 the earth, and twining round trees ; the other ftrike their roots into certain trees, and 

 from thence derive their nourifhment. Both kinds, after growing to a great height, 

 incline again to the earth, on which they creep till they meet with another tree, to the 

 top of which they climb as before, and then again renew their inclination towards the 

 earth ; and thus form a labyrinth of ligatures. Some are even feen extended from the 

 top of one tree to another, like a cord. They are fo remarkably flexile, that no bend- 

 ing or twifting can break them. But if not cut at the proper time, they grow of an 

 unwieldy bignefs. The flendereft of them are about four or five lines in diameter, but 

 the moft common fize is between fix and eight ; though there are others much thicker, 

 but of little or no ufe, on account of the hardnefs contradled in their long growth. 

 The chief ufe of them is for lafliing, tying, or fafl:ening different things together ; and, 

 by twifting feveral of them in the nature of ropes, they make cables and hawfers for 

 the balzas and fmall veflels j and are found by experience to laft a long time in the 

 water. 



In thefe forefts alfo grows a tree, called very properly Matapalo, i. e. kill-timber. 

 It is of itfelf a weak tree ; but, growing near another of confiderable bulk, and coming 

 into contaft with it, fhoots above it, when, expanding its branches, it deprives its 

 neighbour of the rays of the fun. Nor is this all ; for, as this imbibes the juices of 

 the earth, the other withers and dies. After which, it becomes lord of the foil, and 

 increafes to fuch a bulk, that very large canoes are made of it j for which its wood is, 

 of all others, the beft adapted, being very light and fibrous. 



CHAP. II. — Difficulties attending our making the necejfary Obfervattons for meafuring 

 the Length of an Arch of the Meridian^ and the Manner of our Living during the 

 Operations, 



ALL the progrefs made during one whole year, which we fpent in coming to Quito, 

 was the furmounting the difficulties of the paffage, and at length reaching that country - 

 where we were to enter on the principal part of our commiilion. Nor will even this 

 appear a fmall matter, if the great diftance and diverfity of climates be confidered. ^ A 

 few of the firft days after our arrival were fpent in making proper returns for the civili- 

 ties 



