222 A V O Y A G E T a B66k Vi 



panics were both at that time on this defert, fo that 

 the fufxerings of both were equal. The Indians who 

 attended us, not willing to bear the feVerity of the 

 cold, and difgufted with the frequent labour of clear- 

 ing the tent from the fnow, at the firft ravages of 

 the wind, deferred us» Thus we were obliged to 

 perform every thing ourfelves, till others were fent 

 us from a feat about three leagues diftant at the bot- 

 tom of the mountain. 



While we were thus labouring under a variety of 

 difficulties from the wind, fnow, froft, and the cold, 

 which we here found more fevere than in any other 

 part ; forfaken by our Indians, little or no provifions, 

 a fcarcity of fuel, and, in a manner, deftitute of fhel- 

 ter, the good prieft of Cannar, a town lituated at the 

 foot of thefe Cordilleras, fouth-weft from the fignal 

 of Sinafaguan, about five leagues from it, and the 

 road very difficult, was offering up his prayers for us t 

 for he, and all the Spaniards of the town, from the 

 blacknefs of the clouds, gave us over for loft ; fo 

 that, after finiihing our obfervations, when we paffed 

 through the town, they viewed us with aftonifhment, 

 and received us with the moft cordial figns of de- 

 light, adding their congratulations, as if we had^ 

 amidfl the mod threatening dangers, obtained a glo- 

 rious vi6tory. And, doubtlefs, our operations muft 

 appear to them a very extraordinary performance, if 

 we confider the inexpreffible horror with which they 

 view thofe places where we had pafTed fo many days. 



It Was at firft determined to erecl fignals of wood 

 in the form of a pyramid ; but to render our ftay in 

 the piercing colds of thefe regions as ihort as poffible, 

 we abandoned that intention, of which there would 

 have been no end ; becaufe, after remaining feverai 

 days in the denfefl: parts of the clouds, when a cleai* 

 interval happened, the fignals could not be diftin- 

 guhlied : fome the winds had blown down, and others*, 

 had been carried away by the Indiana who tended 



their 



