i8 A VOYAGE TO Book VII. 



St. Pedro. We found its latitude to be 7° 46' 40^' 

 S. The adjacent country being watered by the river 

 called Chicama, diflributed to it by canals, pro- 

 duces the greateft plenty of fugar canes, grapes, 

 fruits of different kinds, both European and Creole : 

 and particularly maize, which is the general grain 

 uled in all Valles. From the banks of the river 

 Lambayeque to this place, fugar canes flourifli near 

 all the other rivers, but none of them equal, either 

 in goodnefs or quantity, thofe near the river Chi- 

 cam a. 



C H o c o p E confifts of betwixt So and 90 bax- 

 areque houfes, covered with earth. The inhabi- 

 tants, who are between 60 and 70 families, are 

 chiefly Spaniards, with fome of the other cafts; but 

 not above 20 or 25 of Indians. Its church is 

 built of bricks, and both large and decent. They 

 report here, as fomething very remarkable, that in 

 the year 1726, there was a continual rain of 40 

 nights, beginning conftantly at four or five in the 

 evening, and ceafing at the fame hour next morning, 

 the iky being clear all the reft of the day. This 

 •unexpe£led event, intirely ruined the houfes, and 

 even the brick church, fo that only fome fragments 

 of its walls remained. What greatly aftonifhed the 

 inhabitants was, that during the whole time the 

 foutherly winds not only continued the fame, but 

 blew with fo much force, that they railed the fand, 

 tho' thoroughly wet. Two years after a like phaeno- 

 menon was leen for about eleven or twelve days, but 

 .y^2LS not attended with the fame dcftruclive violence 

 as the former. Since which time nothino; of this kind 

 has happened, nor had any thing like it been remem- 

 bered for many years before. 



c n A p. 



