ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 



m 



and, to a refle6:Ing mind, fo inflrudive. The inconftancy fo often feen in things the 

 mofl folid and ftable, is generally one of the moft powerful obftacles to the advan- 

 tages which might otherwife be derived from works of any duration. However great 

 they are, either in reality, or idea, the perfection of them is not only impeded by the 

 viciflitudes of time, and the inconilancy of things, but they even decline, and fall into 

 ruins : fome, through want of proper fupport and encouragement ; while others, from 

 the mind being wearied out by delays, difficulties, and a thoufand embarraflments, are 

 abandoned ; the imagination being no longer able to purfue its magnificent fcheme. 



To meafure fome degrees of the meridian near the equator, the principal intention of 

 our voyage, if confidered only in idea, and abflradedly from the difficulties which at- 

 tended its execution, mufl appear eafy, and as requiring no great length of time ; but 

 experience convinced us, that a work of fuch importance to the improvement of fcience, 

 and the intereft of all nations, was not to be performed without delays, difficulties, and 

 dangers, which demanded attention, accuracy, and perfeverance. Befides the diffi- 

 culties neceffarily attending the requifite accuracy of thefe obfervations, the delays we 

 were obliged to make in order to take them in the moft favourable feafons, the inter- 

 vening clouds, the Paramos, and difpofition of the ground, were fo many obftacles to 

 our making any tolerable difpatch ; and thefe delays filled us with apprehenfions, that 

 if any other accidents fliould happen, the whole defign would be rendered abortive, or 

 at leaft, fuffer a long interruption. 



It has already been obferved, that while we were at Cuenca, finiftiing our aftronomi- 

 cal obfervations in that extremity of the arch of the meridian, we unexpectedly re- 

 ceived a letter from the Marquis de Villa Garcia, viceroy of Peru, defiring us to come 

 with all fpeed to his capital : any delay on our part might have been improper ; and we 

 were folicitous not to merit an accufation of the leaft remifsnefs in His Majefty's fervice. 

 Thus we were under a neceffity of fufpending our obfervations for fome time * ; though 

 all that remained was the fecond aftronomical obfervation, northward, where the feries 

 of our triangles terminated. 



The occafion of this delay arofe from an account, received by the viceroy, that war 

 being declared between Spain and England, the latter was fending a confiderable fleet 

 on fome fecret defigns into thofe feas. Several precautions had been taken to defeat 

 any attempt ; and the viceroy, being pleafed to conceive that we might be of fome ufe 

 to him in acquitting himfelf with honour on this occafion, committed to us the execu- 

 tion of fome of his meafures ; giving us to underftand, that the choice he made of us, 

 was the moft convincing proof of the high opinion he entertained of our abilities ; and 

 indeed our obligations were the greater, as the diftance of four hundred leagues had 

 not obliterated us-from his remembrance, of which he now gave us fo honourable a 

 proof. 



On the 24th of September 1740, the viceroy's letter was delivered to us, and we 

 immediately repaired to Quito, in order to furnifti ourfelves with neceflaries for the 

 journey. 



Every thing being performed, we fet out from that city on the 30th of 06lober, and 

 determined to go by Guaranda and Guayaquil ; for, though there is a road by land 

 through Cuenca and Loja, yet the other feemed to us the moft expeditious, as the ways 

 are neither fo bad, nor mules and other beafts of carriage fo difficult to be met with. 

 The long ftays in villages were here alfo little to be apprehended, which are frequently 

 rendered neceflary in the other road by inundations, rivers, and precipices. 



* Book V. Chap. II. 



VOL. XIV. 4 B On 



