ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 



425 



have rendered the rigour of the climate fupportable, had not the imminent danger 

 of perifhing by being blown down the precipice roufed us, every time it fnowed, to 

 encounter the feverity of the outward air, and fally out with fhovels, to free the roof 

 of our hut from the maffes of fnow which were gathering on it. Nor would it, with- 

 out this precaution, have been able to fupport the weight. We were not, indeed, 

 without fervants and Indians ; but they were fo benumbed with the cold, that it was 

 with great difficulty we could get them out of a fmall tent, where they kept a con- 

 tinual fire. So that all we could obtain from them was, to take their turns in this 

 labour ; and even then they went very unwillingly about it, and confequently per- 

 formed it flowly. 



It may be eafily conceived what we fufFered from the afperities of fuch a climate. 

 Our feet were fvvelled, and fo tender, that we could not even bear the heat, and 

 walking was attended with extreme pain. Our hands were covered with chilblains ; 

 our lips fwelled and chopped j fo that every motion, in fpeaking or the like, drew 

 blood J confequently we were obliged to a ftrid taciturnity, and but litde difpofed to 

 laugh, an extenfion of the lips producing fiffures, very painful for two or three days 

 together. 



Our common food in this inhbfpitable region w^as a little rice boiled with fome flefh or 

 fowl, which we procured from Quito ; and, inllead of fluid water, our pot was filled 

 with ice : we had the fame refource with regard to what we drank ; and, while we were 

 eating, every one was obliged to keep his plate over a chafing-dilh of coals, to prevent 

 his provifions from freezing. The fame was done with regard to the water. At firfl we 

 imagined, that drinking ftrong liquors would difltufe a heat through the body, and con- 

 fequently render it lefs fenfible of the painful fharpnefs of the cold ; but, to our fur- 

 prHe, we felt no manner of ftrength in them, nor were they any greater prefervative 

 againfl: the cold than common water. For this reafon, together with the apprehenfion 

 that they might prove detrimental to our health, befides the danger of contrafting an 

 ill habit, we difcontinued their ufe, having recourfe to them but very feldom, and then 

 fparingly. We frequently gave a fmall quantity to our Indians, together with part of 

 the provifions which were continually fent us from Quito, befides a daily falary of four 

 times as much as they ufually earn. 



But, notwithllanding all thefe encouragements, we found it impoflible to keep the 

 Indians together. On their firfl feeling the rigours of the climate, their thoughts were 

 immediately turned on deferting us. The firfl inflance we had of this kind was fo un- 

 expec^led, that, had not one of a better difpofition than the reft ftaid with us, and ac- 

 quainted us of their defign, it might have proved of very bad confequence. The affair 

 was this : there being on the top of the rock no room for pitching a tent for them, they 

 ufed every evening to retire to a cave at the foot of the mountain, where, befides a na- 

 tural diminution of the cold, they could keep a continual fire, and confequently enjoyed 

 more comfortable quarters than their mafters. Before they withdrew at night, they faf- 

 tened on the outfide the door of our hut, which was fo low that it was impofTible to go 

 in or out without ftooping ; and as every night the hail and fnow which had fallen 

 formed a wall againft the door, it was the bufinefs of one or two to come up early and 

 remove this obftrudlion, that, when we pleafed, we might open the door. For though 

 our Negro fervants were lodged in a little tent, their hands and feet were fo covered 

 with chilblains, that they would rather have fuffered themfelves to have been killed thai> 

 move. The Indians therefore came conftantly up to difpatch this work betwixt nine 

 and ten in the morning ; but we had not been there above four or five days, when we 

 were not a little alarmed to fee ten, eleven, and twelve come, without any news of our 



VOL. Xiv, 3 1 labourers. 



