^20 



A VOYAGE TO 



Book VIII. 



Chiapa in New Spain. The plains and little hills 

 produce a fort of ftraw, refembling that of oats, 

 and growing higher than the ufual ftature of a man. 

 The water, of which feveral ftreams fail from the 

 eminences into the fea, is very light, creates an ap- 

 petite, and, among other medicinal qualities, is ex- 

 cellent againft indigeftion. Here are many dogs of 

 different fpecies, particularly of the greyhound kind ; 

 and alfo a great number of goats, which it is very 

 difficult to come at, artfully keeping themlelves a- 

 mong thofe crags and precipices, where no other 

 iinimal but themfelves can live. The dogs owe their 

 origin to a colony fent thither not many years ago, 

 by the prefident of Chili, and the vice-roy of Peru, 

 in order totally to exterminate the goats j that any 

 pirates, or fhips of the enemy might not here be 

 lurnifhed with provifions. But this fcheme has 

 proved inerfedlual, the dogs being incapable of pur- 

 fuing them among the faftnelTes v;here they live, 

 thefe animals leaping from one rock to another with 

 furprifing agility. Thus far indeed it has anfwered 

 the purpofe for fhips cannot now fo eafily furnifh 

 themlelves with provifions here, it being very difficult 

 to kill even a fmgle goat. 



Very few birds frequent this ifland, and though 

 we found feveral white feathers on the ground, and 

 alfo parts of carcafes, which feemed to have been 

 gnawed by the dogs, v^^e faw but very few flying, 

 and thofe wholly black. It is not indeed improbable, 

 but thefe iflands may be the winter retreats of fome 

 kinds of birds, which on the approach of funinier re- 

 fiiove to another climate. 



In this ifland are mountains of a great height ^ 

 and the fides of thofe towards the N. are covered 

 with trees of good timber ^ but few or none are feeq 

 on thole of the S. part, except in the breaches and 

 valleys ^ owing doubtlefs to the piercing violence of 

 the S. winlisj which deflroys thern or checks theif 



growth^ 



