road, but tremble and snort at the danger. If the rider inadvertently endeavour to spur them on, they continue immoveable, till, at length, having overcome the first emotions of their fear, they stretch out their fore legs, that by preserv ing a proper balance, they may not pitch head forwards; and it is wonderful to consider how they make with their body, all the gentle inclinations necessary to enable them to follow the several windings of the road, and afterwards their address in stopping themselves at the end of their impetuous career,

The tediousness and danger of the way, however, is in some parts, alleviated and rendered more tolerable by the fine prospects and agree. able cascades naturally formed among the rocks and mountains. In some parts, the water in the valleys springs up to a great height, like artificial fountains, amongst odoriferous plants and flowers, that yield a delightful prospect. Many of these streams and springs are so exceedingly cold, that a man can scarcely drink them, or hold his hand in them above a minute; but in some places there are hot springs, which leave a green tincture in the channel through which they pass, and are reckoned good agamst many distempers,

From most of the mountains flow large and rapid rivers, and we read of a natural bridge of rocks over one of them, from the vault of which hang several pieces of stone resembling icicles, formed as the water drops from the rock, into various shapes and of different colours. This bridge is broad enough for three or four carts to pass abreast and there is another bridge near it, laid over by art (as some say) between two rocks, but our author, who saw it, thinks it is rather the work

of nature. It is so far above the river that he could not hear the stream, though it runs with great rapidity; and, though the river be of a considerable breadth, it appeared like a brook, when he looked down from the bridge, which he could not do without horror.

The bridges made by art are generally far from being commodious. Of these there are two kinds, besides those of stone, which are very few. The most common are of wood, and the rest of the bejucos, a plant we shall particularly describe when we come to treat of the vegetables of South America. With respect to the first, they choose a place where the river is very narrow, and has on each side high rocks. These bridges only consist of four long beams laid from one precipice to the other, forming a path about a yard and a half in breadth, just sufficient for a man to pass over on horseback; and custom has rendered them so familiar, that people pass them without any appre hensions. Those formed of bejúcos are never used but where the breadth of the river will not admit of beams being laid across. Several of these bejucos are twisted together, in order to form a large cable of the length required; and six of them are drawn from one side of the river to the other, two of which being considerably higher than the other four, serve for rails. Across those at the bottom, are wattled sticks of bejuco, and the whole is not unlike a fishing-net, or Indian hammoc, stretched from one side of the river to the other; but, as the meshes of this net are very large, and the foot would be in danger of slipping through, they cover the bottom with reeds, which serve for a floor. The mere weight of this kind of basket bridge, and much more the

weight of a man passing over, must cause it to make a prodigious bend; and, if it be considered that the passenger, when in the midst of his course, especially if there be a wind, is exposed to be swung from side to side, a bridge of this - sort, sometimes above ninety feet long, must appear extremely frightful; yet the Indiaus run over it, loaded with the baggage and pack-saddles of the mules, laughing to see the Europeans afraid of venturing. The greatest part of these bridges are only for men and women, the mules swimming over the rivers; for their loading being taken off, they are driven into the water about a mile and a half above the bridge, in order that they may reach the opposite shore near it, they being usually carried so far by the rapidity of the stream.

Instead of a bejuco bridge, some rivers are passed by means of a tarabita, which is a single rope, either made of bejucos, or thongs cut from the hide of an ox, and consisting of several strands, which, when twisted, form a rope of six or eight inches in thicknes. This is extended across the river and fastened on one side to a strong post, and on the other to a wheel that it may be straitened or slackened as occasion serves. From the tarabita, hangs a kind of leathern hammoc, large enough to contain a man, and suspended by a clue at each end, hanging in a loop over the tarabita. A rope is also fastened to it, and extended over the river, for drawing the hammoc to the side intended; which, with a push at its first set. ting off, sends it quickly to the other side. This not only serves to carry over persons, but the burthens of beasts, and also the animals themselves, where the rapidity of the current, and the

prodigious stones continually carried along by it, render it impracticable for them to swim over. For carrying over the mules, two tarabitas are used, one for each side of the river; and these are much thicker and stacker. On this rope is only one clue or loop, which is of wood; and by this a beast is suspended, being fastened to it with girths round the belly and neck. When this is performed, the creature is pushed off, and almost immediately landed on the opposite side. Animals accustomed to be conveyed over in this manner never make the least opposition, but come of themselves to have the girths fastened round them yet they are at first brought with great difficulty to suffer this to be done, and, on their finding themselves suspended in the air, kick and plunge violently during their short

passage.

But, according to Acosta, there is still a greater danger in travelling over some of the mountains of Peru, than any we have yet menti oned. He tells us, that there are mountainous uninhabited deserts, where a sudden blast of air sometimes strikes a traveller dead in an instant; and that the Spaniards formerly passed these mountains in their way to Chili, but now either go by sea, or take another road by land, to avoid the danger of crossing them, in which journey many have perished, and others have lost their fingers and toes, and have been rendered cripples. The same author relates, that general Costilla marching over them with his army, great part of his men suddenly fell down dead, and their bodies remained there without stench or corruption. As incredible as this appears, it seems to be confirmed by the reports of European

seamen, who assure us, that they have seen great numbers of bodies of men, women, and children, lying dead upon the sands in Peru, and looking as fresh as if they had not lain there a week; but, when they were handled, they proved as dry and light as a spunge or piece of cork. Whatever was the cause of the death of these people, it is agreed on all hands, that the dryness of the Peruvian air, and the heat of the sands, preserved their bodies from putrefaction.

The audience of Lima enjoys extraordinary advantages in being free from tempest, thunder, lightning, snow, hail, and rain; but we have alroady observed that it is subject to earthquakes, which happen so frequently, that the inhabitants are under continual apprehensions of being buried in the ruins of their own houses: yet they are said to have their presages; one of the chief of which is a rumbling noise in the bowels of the earth about a minute before the shocks are felt, and seems to pervade all the adjacent subterraneous parts. This is followed by the howlings of the dogs, who appear sensible of the approaching` danger; and the very beasts of burden, passing the streets, are observed to stop, and, by a natural instinct, to spread open their legs, the better to secure themselves from falling. These portents are no sooner observed, than the terrified inhabitants fly from their houses into the streets, with such precipitation, that, if it happens in the night, they appear quite naked, fear and the urgency of the danger banishing all sense of decency. This sudden concourse is accompanied with the cries of children, awaked from sleep, mingled with the lamentations of the women, whose ago nising prayers to the saints increase the common