ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 559 



This water is put into large callebafhes, or fkins, and for every four Joaded mules one 

 mule loaded with water is allowed, and alfo one for the two mules carrying the litter. 

 When they travel on horfeback, the riders carry their water in large bags or wallets 

 made for that purpofe ; and every one of the paflengers, whether in the liLter or on 

 horfeback, provides himfelf with what quantity he thinks fufficient, as during the 

 whole journey nothing is feen but fand, and hills of it formed by the wind, and here 

 and there maffes of fait ; but neither fprig, herb, flower, or any other verdure. 



On the 24th we left Sechura, and crofled the defart, making only fome fhort flops 

 for the eafe of our beafts, fo that we arrived the next day at five in the evening at the 

 town of Morrope, twenty-eight or-thirty leagues diftance from Sechura, though falfely 

 computed more by the natives. The extent and uniform afpeft of this plain, together 

 with the continual motion of the fand which foon effaces all tracks, often bewilders the 

 mofl experienced guides, who, however, (hew their fkill in foon recovering the right 

 way ; for which they make ufe of two expedients : firft, to obferve to keep the wind 

 diredly in their face ; and the reverfe upon their return ; for the fouth winds being 

 conftant here, this rule cannot deceive them : fecond, to take up a handful of fand at 

 different diflances, and fmell to it ; for as the excrements of the mules impregnate the 

 fand more or lefs, they determine which is the true road by the fcent of it. Thofe who 

 are not well acquainted with thefe parts, expofe themfelves to great danger, by flopping to 

 refl or fleep ; for when they again fet forward, they find themfelves unable to deter- 

 mine the right road ; and when they once have lofl the true direction, it is a remarkable 

 inflance of Providence if they do not perifh with fatigue or diftrefs, of which there are 

 many melancholy inftances. 



The town of Morrope confifls of between feventy and eighty houfes, built like thofe 

 in the preceding towns ; and contains about one hundred and fixty families, all Indians. 

 Near it runs a river called Pozuelos, fubjed: to the fame changes as thofe above-men- 

 tioned : though the lands bordering on its banks are cultivated, and adorned with trees. 

 The inflinct of the beafls ufed to this road is really furprifmg ; for even at the diflance 

 of four leagues, they fmell its water, and become fo impatient that it would be difficult 

 to flop them : accordingly they purfue themfelves the fhortefl road, and perform the 

 remainder of the journey with remarkable cheerfulnefs and difpatch. 



On the 26th we left Morrope, and arrived at Lambayeque, four leagues from it : and 

 being obliged to continue there all the 27th, we obferved its latitude, and found it 6^ 

 41' 2)l" fouth. This place confifls of about one thoufand five hundred houfes, built 

 fome of bricks, others of bajareques, the middle of the walls being of cane, and plaifler- 

 ed over, both on the infide and outfide, with clay : the meanefl confifl entirely of cane, 

 and are the habitations of the Indians. The number of inhabitants amount to about 

 three thoufand, and among them, fome confiderable and opulent families; but the 

 generality are poor Spaniards, Mulattoes, Meflizos, and Indians. The parifh-church is 

 built of flone, large and beautiful, and the ornaments fplendid. It has four chapels 

 called ramos, with an equal number of priefts, who take care of the fpiritual concerns 

 of the Indians, and alfo attend, by turns, on the other inhabitants. 



I'he reafon why this town is fo populous is, that the families which formerly inhabited 

 the city of Sana, on its being facked in 1685, by Edward Davis, an Englifh adventurer, 

 removed hither ; being under a farther necefiity of changing their dwelling from a fud- 

 den inundation of the river of the fame name, by which every thing that had efcaped 

 the ravages of the Englifh was deflroyed. It is the refidence of a corregidor, having 

 «nder his jurifdidion, befides many other towns, that of Morrope. One of the two 

 officers of the revenue appointed for Truxillo, refides here. A river called Lambay- 

 eque, 



