GENERAL IDEA OP PERU. 



3 



and south, over a space of from four hundred and twenty to 

 four hundred and fifty leagues, from two degrees to nearly 

 twenty-three degrees of south latitude ; and its greatest breadth 

 is from one hundred to one hundred and twenty leagues, 

 east and west, from two hundred and ninety-seven to three 

 hundred and ten degrees of west longitude, the first meridian 

 being taken at the Peak of Tenerilfe. The river of Guayaquil 

 divides it from the new kingdom of Granada on the north side. 

 The depopulated territory of Atacama separates it from the 

 kingdom of Chile towards the south. Another horrible desart, 

 of more than five hundred leagues extent, separates it towards 

 the east from the provinces of Paraguay and Buenos-Ayres ; 

 and lastly, the Pacific Sea washes its western shores. 



A chain of barren and rugged mountains ; several sandy 

 plains, which in a manner reach from one extremity of the 

 coast to the other ; and several lakes of many leagues in ex- 

 tent, some of which are situated on the summits of the above 

 chain of mountains, occupy a great part of the Peruvian terri- 

 tory. Throughout, the breaks, and the vallies, which en- 

 joy the benefit of irrigation, present to the view an extensive 

 range of delightful plains, replete with cities and towns, and 

 the climate of which is highly salubrious. That of the elevated 

 spots of La Sierra is extremely cold. In the pampas, or plains, 

 ofBombon*, Fahrenheit's thermometer is constantly at from 

 thirty-four to forty degrees above zero. 



* These are plains of fifteen leagues in length, and five or six in breadth, which 

 form a part of the sub-delegation of Tanna, and of the intendency of the same name: 

 they are distant from Lima, in an eastern direiSlion, forty leagues. The lake of 

 Chincha-y-cocha intersedls them in their length ; and they constitute the most lofty 

 and most level part of La Sierra. 



B 2 The 



