Ch.il south AMERICA." 27 



a league beyond the river PalTamayo, which we 

 forded, arrived at the Tambo of the fame name, fi- 

 tu^ted at the foot of a mountain of fand, exceed- 

 ing troublefome, both on account of its length, 

 fteepnefs, and difficulty in walking fo that it is ge- 

 nerally pafTed in the night, the foil not being then fo 

 fatiguing. 



Fp.om thence on the i8th we reached Tambo dc 

 Ynca, and after travelHng 12 leagues from the town 

 of Chancay, we had at length the pleafure of entering 

 the city of Lima. 



From the diftances carefully fet down during the 

 whole courfe of the journey, it appears that from 

 Tumbez to Piura is 62 leagues j from Piura to 

 Truxillo 89, and from Truxillo to Lima 113; in 

 all 264 leagues. The greateft part of this long jour- 

 ney is generally performed by night ; for the whole 

 country being one continued fand, the refleclion of 

 the fun*s rays is fo violent, that the mules would be 

 overcome by the heat befides the want of water, 

 herbage, and the like. Accordingly the road all 

 along, is rather diftinguifhed by the bones of the 

 mules, which have funk under their burdens, than 

 by any track or path. For notwithftanding they are 

 continually paffing and re-pafling throughout the 

 whole year, the winds quickly efface all the prints of 

 their feet. This country is alfo fo bare, that when 

 a fmall herb or fpring happens to be difcovered, it 

 is a fure fignof beino- in the neio-hbourhood of houfes. 

 For thefe ftand near rivers, the moifture of which 

 fertilizes thefe arid waftes, fo that they produce that 

 verdure not to be leen in the uninhabited parts, as 

 they are fuch, merely from their being deitituie of 

 water; without which no creature can fubfift, nor 

 any lands be improved. 



In the towns we met with plenty of all neceffary 

 provifions; as fleili, fowl, bread, fruits, and v/ine; 

 ^}1 e^treamly good, and at a reafonable price ; but 



the 



