Gh.il south AMERICA. 223 



their cattle on the fides of the mountains, for the fake 

 of the timber and ropes. To remedy which, the only 

 expedient was to make the very tents in which we 

 lodged, ferve for fignals ; for the orders of the ma- 

 giftrates, and threatenings of the priells, were of lit- 

 tle confequence in fuch a defert country, where it was 

 almoft impofiible to difcover the delinquents. 



The deferts of the mountains of Pambamarca and 

 Pichincha were the noviciates, in which we were 

 inured to the fevere life we led from the beginning 

 of Auguft 1737, to the end of July 1739. During 

 which time, our company occupied thirty-five deferts ; 

 and that of Don George Juan, thirty-two ; the par- 

 ticulars of which fhall be enumerated, together with 

 the names of all thofe on which we erefed fignals 

 for forming the triangles j in all w^hich, the inconve- 

 niencies were the fame, except that they became lefs 

 fenfible, in proportion as our bodies became inured to 

 fatigue, and naturalized to the inclemency of thofe 

 regions ; fo that in time we were reconciled to a con- 

 tinual folitude, coarfe provifions, and often a fcarcity 

 of thefe. The diverfity of temperatures did not in 

 the leaft afFe6l us, when vv'e def:endcd from the in- 

 tenfe cold of one of thofe deferts into the plains and 

 vallies, where the heat, though but moderate, feemed 

 exceflive to thofe coming from fuch frozen regions. 

 Lafily, without any concern, we encountered the dan- 

 gers unavoidable among thofe lleep precipices, and a 

 great variety of others to which we were continually 

 expofed. The little cabins of the Indians, and the 

 ftalls for cattle fcattered up and down on the fl^irts 

 of the mountains, and where we ufed to lodp-e in our 

 pafi^age from one defen: to another, were to us fpa- 

 cious palaces ; mean villages appeared like fplendid 

 cities, and the converfation of a priefi, and two or. 

 three of his companions, charmed us like the ban- 

 quet of Xenophon : the little markets held in thofe 

 towns, when we happened to pafs through them oa 



a Sun- 



