66 



A VOYAGE TO 



Book: VII. 



fight, intercepting only the rays of the fun by day, 

 and by night thofc of the ftarsj the fky being continu- 

 ally covered whatever height the vapours float at in 

 the atmofphere. Sometimes, indeed, they are fo far 

 difperfed as to admit of feeing the difk of the fun, but 

 ftill precluding the heat of his rays. 



It is not unworthy obfervation on this head, that 

 at the diftance only of two or three leagues, the 

 vapours are much more dilfipated from noon to 

 evening than in the city, the fun fully appearing ib 

 as to moderate the caldnefs of the air. Alfo at 

 Callao, which is only two leagues and a half from 

 Lima, the winter is much more mild, and the atr 

 clearer, during that feafon, for the days at Lima, 

 are very melancholy and difagreeable, not only on 

 account of the darknefs, but frequently during the 

 whole day the vapours continue in the fame degree 

 of denfity and pofttion, wkhout breaking, or being 

 elevated above the earth. 



It is in this feafon only that the vapours diffolve 

 into a very fmall mift or dew, which they call garua, 

 and thus every where equally moiftens the earth ; 

 by which means all thole hills, which during the 

 other part of the year offer nothing to the fight but 

 rocks and waftes, are eloathed with verdure, and 

 enamelled with flowers of the mod beautiful colours, 

 to the great joy of the inhabitants, who, as foon as 

 the feverity of winter is' abated, refort into the coun- 

 try, which exhibits fo ekgant an appearance.* Thefc 

 garuas or dews never fall in quantities fufficient to 

 damage the roads, or incommode the traveller j a 



* I cannot underftand what the Author means here by ** feve- 

 rity of the winter,'* unlefs he would fo denominate the moit 

 pleafant time of the year; for during this time, while the funs 

 rays are cut off by the mifts, there is a continual fpring ; and 

 plants and herbs recruit their ftrength to endure the perpendicular 

 rays of the fun, which break through the mifts about the middle 

 of November. A. 



