Cm.VL south AMERICA. 77 



the earth, or another, which being more diHant from 

 it they blow there more violently. 

 . I AT firft declared againfl: any pofitive allertion, 

 that the opinion I have now laid before the reader,, 

 is founded on fach undoubted phyfical principles, 

 that no other can be advanced more conformable 

 to phsenomena ; it being dillicuk immediately to 

 fix on caufes which agreeing with all circumilances, 

 leaves the mind entirely latished : And as all within 

 the reach of human perfpicuity cannot be accommo- 

 dated to every particular, as entire convidion re- 

 quires, let it fuffice that I have here delivered my 

 thoughts ; leaving the natural! (Is at full liberty to in- . 

 veftigate the true caufe, and when difcovered, to re- 

 jed my hypothefes.* 



As rain is feidom or never feen at Lima, fo that 

 place is alfo equally free from tenipefts •, that thofe 

 who have neither vlfited the mountains nor travelled, 

 into other parts, as Guayaquil or Chili, are abib- 

 lute llrangers to thunder and lightning , nothing of 

 that kind being known here. Accordingly, the in- 

 habitants are extreamly terrified when they firil hear 

 the former or fee the latter. But it is very remark- 

 able, that what is here entirely unknovvrn, Ihouid be 

 fo common at thirty leagues diOrant, or even lefs, 

 to the eaft of Lim.a ; it being no farther to the moun- 

 tains, where violent rains and tempeils are as fre- 

 quent as at Qiiito. The. winds, tho' fettled in the 

 above-mentioned points, are mbjed to variations, but 

 almoft impercepdble, as we fhall explain. They 

 are alfo very gentle, and even in the fevered win- 



* A more probable cnnjefi:are is, that the vapours which arife la 

 the great South Sea, and are brought into this neighbourhood by 

 the fouth wind (where they v/oald naturally condeofe into clouds 

 and fall in fhovvers) are sttraded by the Cordilleras, whofc tops 

 are generally inveloped in clouds frightful to behold, vviiicn 

 (pend thennfeives in tremendous tempeils, even Ihaking the foun- 

 d;u2ons of thofe lofty mountains . A. 



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