Ch. III. 



SOUTH AMERICA 



XXIV. Signal on the defert of Yafuay. 



Our obfervations at the fignal of Yafuay, were not 

 finiihed till the 1 6th of July ; there being a neceflity, 

 before we could conclude them, to pitch on the mofl 

 convenient place for meafuring a fecond bafe, in order 

 to prove the accuracy of all the preceding geome- 

 trical operations ; and, after fixing on a proper fpot, 

 to determine where the fio-nals between Yafuav and 

 the bafe could be moft properly placed. In order to 

 this, we went to Cuenga, and from thence proceeded 

 to the plains of Talqi and los Bannos. At laft it 

 was determined that the bafe fhould be m.eafured in 

 the former, by which the refult of the triangles Vvas to 

 be verified by my company, and that of the other in 

 the plain of los Bannos. The requifite fignals alfo 

 were eredled ; and v/e returned to the defert of Yafuay, 

 where we continued our obfervations, which employed 

 us from the 7th to the i6th of July. Though this 

 mountain is one of the highefl in the whole territory 

 of Cuen^a, and the afcent fo fteep that there is no 

 going up but on foot, nor even by that method with- 

 out great labour ; yet the cold is far from being fo 

 intolerable as on Sinafaguan, and the deferts north of 

 that mountain. So that we chearfuliy fupporced the 

 inconveniencies of this llation^ 



XXV. Signal on the mountain of Borma. 



This mountain is but low, as are' all the others in 

 the neighbourhood of Cuen^a, fo that here we were 

 not impeded by any cloudy fummits. It was alfo our 

 good fortune that Yafuay, contrary to our apprehen- 

 fions, was clear and vifible the whole 1,9th of July; 

 fo that we finiOied our obfervations in two days agree- 

 ably. 



XXVL 



