ULLOA S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 53 I 



ill a defert, he lays him down, and fleeps without the leafl: apprehenfion of danger* 

 Or if he takes up his lodgings in a tambo, or inn, he fleeps with the fame fecurity, 

 though the doors are always open : nor is he ever molefled on the road. This is a con- 

 venience fo favourable to commerce and intercourfe, that it were greatly to be wiftied 

 the fame fecurity could be eftablifhed in the other parts of the world. 



CHAP. VIII. — Continuation of the Account of the Faramosj^^or^Deferts ; with an 

 Account of the Beafis, Birds, and other Particulars of this Province* 



TO conclude my obfervatlons on the Paramos, which it was neceffary to interrupt, 

 in order to give a fhort account of the rivers, bridges, and roads, I fhall obferve, that 

 thefe parts not being of a height fufficient to expofe them to an eternal frofl:, they are 

 covered with a kind of rufh refembling ^he genifla Hifpanica, but much more foft and 

 flexible. It is about half or three quarters of a yard in height, and, when of its full 

 magnitude, its colour is like that of dried genifta Hifpanica. But where the fnow 

 remains fome time on the ground without melting, none of thefe plants growing in 

 habitable climates are found. There are indeed others, though few, and even thefe 

 never exceed a certain height. Above this trad:, nothing is feen but ftones and fand 

 all the way up to the beginning of the ice. 



In thefe parts, where the above rufli is the principal produ6l, the foil is as little 

 adapted to cultivation ; but produces a tree, which the inhabitants call Quinual, the 

 nature of which very well fuits the roughnefs of the climate. It is of middling height, 

 tufted, and the timber flrong ; its leaf of a long, oval form, thick, and of a deep green 

 colour. Though it bears the fame name as the grain called Quinua, of which we have 

 fpoken elfewhere^ and which grows in great plenty, the latter is not, however, the 

 production of this tree ; nor has the plant, on which it grows, any thing in common 

 with it. 



The climate proper for quinua is alfo adapted to the produce of a little plant, which 

 the Indians call Palo de Luz. It is commonly about the height of two feet, confiding 

 of ftalks which grow out of the ground, and proceed from the fame root. Thefe 

 ftems are ftraight, and fmooth up to the top, from which grow Httle branches with very 

 fmall leaves. All of thefe nearly rife to the fame height, except the outer ones, which 

 are of a lefs iize : it is cut clofe to the ground, where it is about three lines in diameter ; 

 and being kindled whilft green, gives a light equal to that of a torch, and, with care 

 taken to fnuff it, lafts dll the whole plant is burnt. 



In the fame place grows alfo the achupalla, confiding of feveral ftalks, fomething 

 refembling thofe of the fabilla ; and as the new ftioot up, the moft outward grow old 

 and dry, and form a kind of trunk, with a great number of horizontal leaves, hollow 

 in the middle ; and this, when not very large, is eatable like that of the palmitos. 



Towards the extremity of the part where the rufli grows, and the cold begins to 

 increafe, is found the vegetable called Puchugchu, with round leaves growing together 

 fo as to reprefent a very fmooth bulb, having nothing in them but the roots : and as 

 thefe increafe, the outward cafe of leaves dilates into the form of a round loaf, ufually 

 a foot or two in height, and the fame in diameter : on this account, they are alfo called 

 Loaives or Onions. When in their vigour, they are of fo hardy a nature, that a ftamp 

 with a man's foot, or the tread of a mule, makes no impreffion on them ; but when 

 once fully ripe, they are eafily broken. In the middle ftate, betwixt the full ftrength 

 of their refinance and the decay of their roots by age, they have an elaftic quality, 



3 Y 2 yielding 



