(Eh.I. south AMERICA. 211 



flexile, that no bending or twifting can break them* 

 'But if not cut at the proper time, they grow of an 

 Unwieldy bignefs. The Hendereft of them are about 

 four or five lines in diameter, but the moft com- 

 tnon fize is between fix and eight ; though there are 

 others much thicker, but of little or no ufe, on ac- 

 count of the hardnefs contra6ted in their long growth. 

 The chief ufe of them is for lafhing, tying, or fatten- 

 ing different things together and, by twilling fe- 

 veral of them in the nature of ropes, they make ca- 

 bles and hawfers for the balzas and fmall veflels ; and 

 are found by experience to laft a long time in the 

 water. 



Iisr thefe forelb alfo grows a tree^ called very pro- 

 perly Matapalo i. e. kill-timber. It is of itfelf a 

 weak tree; but, growing near another of confidera- 

 ble bulk, and coming into contact with it, flioots 

 above it, when, expanding its branches, it deprives its 

 neighbour of the rays of the fun. Nor is this all • 

 for, as this imbibes the juices of the earth, the othet 

 withers and dies. After which, it becomes lord of 

 the foil, and increafes to fuch a bulk, that very large 

 canoes are made of it j for which its wood is, of all 

 others, the bed adapted, being very light and fibrous. 



CHAP. IL 



Difficult les attending our making the neceffary Ob- 

 fervations for meafuring the Length of an Arch 

 of the Meridian^ and the Manner of our Living 

 during the Operations, 



AL L the progrefs made during one whole year, 

 which we fpent in coming to Quito, was the 

 furmounting the difficulties of the pafiage, and ac 

 length- reaching that country where we were to enter 



V 2 on 



