9^ A VOYAGE TO BookVIL 



The rocks in the moft inland part of this bay 

 are perforated and fmoothed like thofe waflied by 

 the waves ; a fufficient proof that the fea formed 

 thefe large cavities, and undermined fnch prodigious 

 malTes as lie on the ground, by its continual elifions ; 

 and it leems natural to think that the like muft have 

 happened in the country contiguous to Lima, and 

 that the parts, confiding of pebbles like thofe at 

 the bottom of the adjacent fea, were formerly co- 

 vered by the water. 



Another iingularity in this arid country is, the 

 abundance of fprings, water being found every 

 where with little labour, by digging only four or 

 five feet below the furface. This may arife from 

 two caufes ; the one, that the earth, being, from its 

 compofition very fpungy, the water of the fea 

 eafily infinuates itfelf to a great diftance, and is filtra- 

 ted in paffing through its pores. The other, that the 

 many torrents after defcending from the mountains, 

 f(^on lofe themfelves in thefe plains, but continue 

 their courfe along the fubterranean veins of the earth; 

 for this ftony quality of the foil from the nature of 

 the fprings cannot extend to any great depth, and 

 underneath it the ftratum is hard and compa6t ^ 

 confequently the water muft be conveyed to the 

 moft porous parts, which being the ftony» it there 

 precipitates into a fubterranean courfe, leaving the fur- 

 face dry. We have already obferved ^ that from 

 many of the rivers in Valles, though apparently dry,, 

 the inhabitants procure a fufticient quantity of water 

 by digging wells in the beds over which their waterg 

 run in the winter : others might be palTed without 

 being known, but the bottom confifting entirely of 

 pebbles, wherever the beafts fet their feet, the v/atef 

 immediately oozes out. The reafon of this is, that 

 the water at that time runs a little below the furface,, 

 and I do not doubt but the fame will be found 



in 



* Chap. 1. oftkiis Vol. 



