590 ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



As rain is feldom or never feen at Lima, fo that place is alfo equally free from tem. 

 pefts ; that fo thofe who have neither vifited the mountains nor travelled into other 

 parts, as Guayaquil or Chili, are abfolute flrangers to thunder and lightning ; nothing 

 of that kind being known here. Accordingly, the inhabitants are extremely terrified 

 when they firft hear the former or fee the latter. But it is very remarkable, that what 

 is here entirely unknown, fhould be fo common at thirty leagues diftant, or even lefs, 

 to the eaft of Lima ; it being no farther to the mountains, where violent rains and 

 tempefts are as frequent as at Quito. The winds, though fettled in the above-mentioned 

 points, are fubjedt to variations, but almoft imperceptible, as we fhall explain. They 

 are alfo very gentle, and even in the fevered winters, never known to do any damage 

 by their violence ; fo that if this country was free from other inconveniences and evils, 

 its inhabitants could have nothing to defire, in order to render their lives truly agree- 

 able. But with thefe fignal advantages, nature has blended inconveniences, which 

 greatly diniinifli their value, and reduce this country even below thofe on which nature 

 has not bellowed fuch great riches and fertility. 



It has been obferved, that the winds generally prevailing in Valles, throughout the 

 whole year, comes from the fouth ; but this admits of fome exceptions, which, without 

 any elfential alteration, implies that fometimes the winds come from the north, but fo 

 very faint, as fcarcely to move the vanes of the Ihips, and confill only of a very 

 weak agitation of the air, juft fufficient to indicate that the wind is changed from the 

 fouth. This change is regularly in winter, and with it the fog immediately begins, 

 which in fome meafure feems to coincide with what has been offered with regard to the 

 reafon why fliowers are unknown at Lima. This breath of wind is fo particular, that 

 from the very inftant it begins, and before the wind is condenfed, the inhabitants are 

 unhappily fenfible of it by violent head-aches, fo as eafily to know what fort of weather 

 is coming on before they ftir out of their chambers, 



CHAP. VIL — Incowveniencies, Dijiempers, and Evils, to which the City of Lima is 



fubjeSt ; -particularly Earthquakes, 



ONE of the inconveniences of Lima, during the fummer, is that of being tor- 

 mented with fleas and bugs, from which the utmoft care is not fufficient to free the 

 inhabitants. Their prodigious increafe is partly owing to the dull of that dung, with 

 which the ftreets are continually covered ; and partly to the flatnefs of the roofs, where 

 the fame dull, wafted thither by the winds, produce thefe troublefome infeds, which 

 are continually dropping through the crevices of the boards into the apartments, and- 

 by that means render it impoffible for the inhabitants, notwithftanding all their pains, 

 to keep their houfes free from them. The mofchitos are very troublefome, but much 

 kfs fo than the former. 



The next, and indeed a mofl dreadful circumftance, is that of earthquakes, to which 

 this country is fo fubjeft, that the inhabitants are under continual apprehenfions of 

 being, from their fuddennefs and violence, buried in the ruins of their own houfes. 

 Several deplorable inflances of this kind have happened in this unfortunate city ; and 

 lately proved the total deftruftion of all its buildings. Thefe terrible concuffions of 

 nature are not regular, either with regard to their continuance or violence. But the 

 interval between them is never of a length fufficient to obliterate the remembrance of 

 them. In the year 1742, I had the curiofity to obferve the diflance of time between 

 thofe which happened fucceffively for a certain fpace. i. On the 9th of May, at three 



quarters 



