Ch. VII. SOUTH AMERICA. 433 



in a tambo, or inn, he fleeps with the fame fecurity, 

 though the doors are always open : nor is he ever 

 molefted on the road. This is a convenience fo fa- 

 vourable to commerce and intercourfe, that it were 

 greatly to be wilhed the fame fecurity could be eda- 

 blifhed in the other parts of the world. 



CHAP. VIII. 



ConiiniiaUon t)f the Account of the Paramos, or 

 Deferts ; with an Account of the Beajls^ Birds ^ 

 and other Particulars of this Province, 



TO conclude my obfervations on the Paramos, 

 which it was necefiary to interrupt, in order to 

 give a fhort account of the rivers, bridges, and roads, 

 1 (hall obferve, that, thefe parts not being of a height 

 fufficient to expofe them to an eternal frotl, they 

 are covered v/ith a kind of rufh refembling the genifta ^ 

 Hifpanica, but much more foft and flexible* It is 

 about half or three quarters of a yard in height, and, 

 when of its full magnitude, its colour is like that of 

 dried genifta Hifpanica. But where the fnow remains 

 fome time on the ground v/ithout melting, none of 

 thefe plants growing in habitable climates are found. 

 There are indeed others, thoug-h few, and even thefe 

 never exceed a certain height. Above this trad, no- 

 thing is feen but ftones and fand all the way up to the 

 beginning of the ice. 



In thefe parts, where the above rufh is the princi- 

 pal produd:, the foil is as little adapted to cultiva- 

 - tion ; but produces a tree, which the inhabitants call 

 quinual, the nature of which very well fuits the 

 roughnefs of the climate. It is of middling height, 

 tufted, and the timber ilrong its leaf of a long, oval 

 form, thick, and of a deep green colour. Though it 

 bears the fame naixje as the grain called quinua, of 

 Vol. I. F f which 



