VLLOA'S voyage to south AMERICA. 5^5 



may go up and down this river, being three fathoms deep and twenty-five broad ; but it 

 is dangerous going up it in the winter feafon, the impetuofity of its current being then 

 increafed by torrents from the mountains. At a little diftance from the Cordillera, on 

 one fide of the banks of the river, ftands the town of Tumbez in a very fandy plain, in- 

 terfperfed with fome fraall eminences. The town confifts only of feventy houfes, 'built 

 of cane, and thatched, fcattered up and down without any order or fymmetry. In thefe 

 houfes are about one hundred and fifty families of Meflizos, Indians, Mulattoes, arid a 

 few Spaniards. There are befides thefe other families living along the banks of the river, 

 who having the cdnveniency of watering their grounds, continually employ themfelves 

 in rural occupations. 



The heat is exceflive; nor have theyhere anyrain for feveral years fucceffively ; butwhen , 

 It begins to fall, it continues during the winter. The whole country from the town of 

 Tumbez to Lima, contained between the foot of the Cordillera and the fea, is known by 

 the name of Valles, which we mention here, as it will often occur in the remaining parts 

 of this narrative. 



Tumbez was the place where, in the year 1526, the Spaniards firft landed in thefe 

 parts of South America, under the command of Don Francifco Pizarro ; and where he 

 entered into feveral friendly conferences with the princes of the country, but valTals to 

 the Yncas. If the Indians were furprized at the fight of the Spaniards, the latter were 

 equally fo at the prodigious riches which they every where faw, and the largenefs of the 

 palaces, caftles, and temples ; of all of which, though built of ftone, no veftiges are now 

 remaining. 



Along the delightful banks of this river, as far as the water is conveyed, maize, and 

 all other fruits and vegetables that are natives of a hot climate, are produced in the 

 greatelt plenty ; and in the more diftant parts, which are deftitute of this advantage, 

 grows a kind of leguminous tree, called algarrobale, producing a bean, which ferves as 

 food for all kinds of cattle. It refembles almoft that known in Spain by the name of 

 Valencia ; its pod being about five or fix inches long, and only four lines broad, of a 

 whitifh colour, intermixed with veins of a faint yellow. It proves a very ftrengthening 

 food to beafls of labour, and is ufed in fattening thofe for the Haughter, which hence 

 acquire a tafte remarkably delicious. 



On the 14th I arrived at the town of Piura, where I was obliged to wait fome time for 

 Don George Juan, during which I entirely recovered from the indifpofition I before la- 

 boured under from my fall. 



Here I experienced the efficacy of the Calaguala, which I happily found not to fall 

 fliort of the great reputation it has acquired in feveral parts of Europe. 



From the town of Tumbez to the city of Piura is fixty-two leagues, which we per- 

 formed in fifty-four hours, exclufive of thofe we refted j fo that the mules, which always 

 travel one conftant pace, go fomething above a league an hour. To the town of Amo- 

 tape, the only inhabited place in the whole road, is forty-eight leagues ; the remaining 

 part is one continued defart. At leaving Tumbez, its river is croffed in balzas, after 

 which, for about two leagues, the road lies through thickets of algarrobale, and other 

 trees, at the end of which the road runs along the fea-coaft to Mancora, twenty-four 

 leagues from Tumbez. In order to travel this road, an opportunity at low water mull 

 be taken for crofling a place called Malpaffo, about fix leagues from Tumbez ; for 

 being a high fteep rock, wafhed by the fea during the flood, and the top of it impalTable 

 from the many chafms and precipices, there is a neceffity of pafling between the fea and 

 its bafis, which is about half a league in length : and this muft be done before the flood 

 returns, which foon covers this narrow way, though it is very fafe at low water. During 



4 B 2 the 



