Ch.VII. south AMERICA. 7^ 



CHAP. VII. 



JnconvenieneeSf Dijiempersy and Evils, to which 

 the City of Lima is fubje5l \ particularly 

 Earthquakes. 



O N 6 of xkit Inconveniences of Lima, during the 

 fummer, is that of being tormented with fleas 

 and bugs, fronl which the utmoft care is not fufEcieni: 

 to free the inhabitants. Their prodigious incrcafe is 

 partly owing to the duft of that dung, with which 

 the ftfeets are continually covered ; and partly to the 

 fiatnefs of the roofs, where the lame dufr, wafted 

 thither by the winds, produce thefe troublefome in^ 

 fedts, which are continually dropping thro' the cre- 

 vices of the boards into the apartments, and by 

 that means render it impoflible for the inhabitants, 

 notwithftanding all their pains, to keep their houfes 

 free from them. The mofchitos are very trouble- 

 fome, but much lefs fo than the former. 



TiiE next, and indeed a moft dreadful circum- 

 ftance, is that of earthquakes, to which this coun- 

 try is fo fubjedl, that the inhabitants are under con- 

 tinual apprehenfions of being, from their fuddennefs 

 and violence, buried in the ruins of their own 

 houfes. Several deplorable inftances of this kind 

 have happened in this unfortunate city \ and lately 

 proved the total deftrudion of all its buildings. Thefe 

 terrible concufTions of nature are not regular, either 

 with regard to their continuance or violence. But 

 the interval between them is never of a length fuf-' 

 ficient to obliterate the remembrance of them. In 

 the year 1742 I had the curiofity to obferve the di- 

 llance of time between thole which happened fuc- 

 cefTively for a certain fpace. i. On the 9rh of May 

 at three quarters after nine in the morning. 2. The 

 19th of the fame month at midnight. 3. The 27th 



'at 



