6o& ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



of water by digging wells in the beds over which their waters run in the winter: 

 others might be paffed without being known^ but the bottom confifling entirely of 

 pebbles, wherever the beaft fet their feet, the water immediately oozes out. The 

 reafon of this is, that the water at that time runs a little below the furface, and I do 

 not doubt but the fame will be found in all Valles, though at different depths in diffe- 

 rent places. 



This plenty of fubterraneous ftreams is doubtlefs of great advantage to the fertility 

 of the country, particularly with regard to the larger plants, whofe roots flrike 

 deepeft ; and this feems a bountiful indulgence of the wife Author of Nature, who, to 

 provide againft the flerility which would certainly affed thefe countries from a want of 

 water, has fent a fupply from the mountains, either in open rivers or fubterrane- 

 ous canals. 



The lands in the jurifdidion of Chancay, like the other parts of the coafls of 

 Peru, are manured with the dung of certain fea birds, which abound here in a very 

 extraordinary manner. Thefe they call guanoes, and the dung guano, the Indian 

 name for excrement in general. Thefe birds, after fpending the whole day in catch- 

 ing their food in the fea, repair at night to reft on the iflands near the coaft, and their 

 number being fo great as entirely to cover the ground, they leave a proportionable 

 quantity of excrement or dung. This is dried by the heat of the fun into a cruft, and 

 is daily increafmg, fo that notwithftanding great quantities are taken away, it is never 

 exhaufted. Some will have this guano to be only earth endowed with the quality 

 of railing a ferment in the foil with which it is mixed. This opinion is founded on 

 the prodigious quantities carried off from thofe iflands, and on the experiment made 

 by digging or boring, by which the appearance at a certain depth, was the fame as at 

 the fuperficies; whence it is concluded, that the earth is naturally endowed with 

 the heating quality of dung or guano. This would feem lefs improbable, did not 

 both its appearance and fmell prove it to be the excrement in queftion. I was in 

 thefe iflands when feveral barks came to load with it ; when the infupportable fmell 

 left me no room to doubt of the nature of their cargo. I do not however pretend to 

 d«iy, but that it may be mixed with earth, or that the moft fuperficial part of the 

 earth does not contrad the like virtue, fo as to produce the fame efJed. But however 

 it be, this is the manure ufed in the fields fowed with maize, and with proper water- 

 ings is found greatly to fertilize the foil, a little of it being put clofe to every ftem, 

 Mid immediately watered. It is alfo of ufe in fields of other grain, except wheat and 

 barley, and, confequently, prodigious quantities of it yearly ufed in agriculture. 



Bdides the orchards, fields, and gardens, with which this country is fo delightfully 

 variegated, there are other parts where nature itfelf fponraneoufly furnifhes beautiful 

 profpefts for the inhabitants, and plenty of excellent food for their cattle ; particularly 

 the hills of St. Chriftopher and Amancaes, whofe perpetual verdure, diverfified in fpring 

 with elegant flowers, feems to invite the neighbouring inhabitants to a nearer enjoyment 

 of the beauties it prefents at a diftance to their view. The parts in the neighbourhood 

 of the city, to the diftance of fix or eight leagues, offer the like entertainment ; and 

 accordingly many families refort thither for the change of air, and the tranquillity of 

 rural amufement. The hills called Amancaes, already mentioned, have their name from 

 a certain flower growing on them. It is yellow, and of the campanula form, with 

 four pointed leaves. Its colour is remarkably brilliant, and in that wholly confifts its 

 value, being totally void of fragrancy. 



Befides thefe delightful retreats, the city has a public walk in the fuburb of St.Lazaro, 

 called Alameda, confifting of rows of orange and lemon trees j along the banks of 



1 2 the 



