290 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. xv. 



charged himself with directing the erection of two pyramids, one 

 at each end of the base. 



In the section of the work ^ on his labours in Ecuador entitled 

 Histoire des Pyramides de Quito, he recounts the difficulties that 

 he experienced in this matter ; how he fixed the centres of the 

 pyramids most accurately over the two ends of the measurement ; 

 how he had to make his own bricks (which he took care should be 

 of a size different from those usually employed, so that there might 

 be no temptation to pull the monuments to pieces for the sake of 

 their materials) ; how he had to construct a canal two leagues long 

 to bring water for making mortar ; and how stones had to be 

 sought for and transported long distances on mule-back — this part 

 of the business alone, he says, occupying several months, as a 

 single stone often made a load. Then, in the case of the pyramid 

 at the northern end, he found there was no solid foundation, and 

 he had to create one by pile-driving, to search for wood fit for the 

 piles, to bring workmen from Quito to fashion them, and to get 

 them driven. But tlie thing above all others which gave him most 

 trouble was finding, dressing, and transporting suitable stones for 

 the Inscriptions. These stones were quarried in a ravine some 

 hundreds of feet deep, and had to be hauled out by ropes, which 

 had to be specially made ; and then at the last moment the ropes 

 broke, one of the stones was dashed to pieces, and they had to 

 begin over again. 



When at last all was complete, then there was infinite worry 

 over the Inscriptions ; for the French Academicians had associated 

 with them two Spanish naval gentlemen, who took exception to 

 the phraseology, for the sake of their Koyal Master, and on their 

 own account, &c., &c. At last all was settled and finished, and La 

 Condamine returned to Paris, via the Amazons, arriving in 1745, 

 after an absence of ten years, no doubt finding consolation in the 

 thought that he had done a splendid piece of work, which could be 

 referred to in generations to come, by means of these monuments. 



1 Journal die Voyage fail par ordre du Hoi, &c., 4to, Paris, 1751. 



