a great chain of mountains in South America, which running from the most northern part of Peru to the straits of Magellan, between 3000 and 4000 miles, are the longest and most remarkable in the world. The Spaniards call them the Cordillera de los Andes. They form two ridges, the lowermost of which is overgrown with woods and groves, and the uppermost covered with everlasting snow. Those who have been at the top, affirm, that the sky is always serene and bright; the air cold and piercing; and yet so thin, that they were scarce able to breathe, and the respiration was much quicker than ordinary; and this is attended with retching and vomiting; which, however, has been considered by some as merely accidental. When they looked downwards, the country was hid by the clouds that hovered on the mountains sides. The mountains just mentioned, which have been frequently ascended, are much inferior in height to many others in this enormous chain. The following is the account given of the mountain called Pichincha, by the mathematicians sent by the kings of France and Spain to make observations in relation to the figure of the earth.

Soon after our artists arrived at Quito, they determined to continue the series of the triangles for measuring an arch of the meridian to the south of that city: the company accordingly divided themselves into two bodies, consisting of French and Spaniards, and each retired to the part assigned them. Don George Juan and M. Godin, who were at the head of one party, went to the mountain of Pambamarca; while M. Bouguer, de la Condamine, and Don Ulloa, together with their assistants, climbed up to the highest summit of Pichincha. Both parties suffered extremely, as well from the severity of the cold as from the impetuosity of the winds, which on these heights blow with incessant violence; difficulties the more painful, as they had been little used to such fumigations. Thus in the torrid zone, nearly under the equinoctial, where it is natural to suppose they had most to fear from the heat, their greatest pain was caused by the excessiveness of the cold.

Their first scheme for shelter and lodging in these uncomfortable regions, was to pitch a field-tent for each company; but on Pichincha this could not be done from the narrowness of the summit; they were therefore obliged to be contented with a hut so small that they could hardly all creep into it. Nor will this appear strange, if the reader considers the bad disposition and smallness of the place, it being one of the loftiest crags of a rocky mountain, 100 fathoms above the highest part of the desert of Pichincha. Such was the situation of their mansion, which, like all the other adjacent parts, soon became covered with ice and snow. The ascent up this stupendous rock, from the base or the place where the mules could come, to their habitation was so craggy as only to be climbed on foot; and to perform it cost them four hours continual labour and pain, from the violent efforts of the body, and the subtlety of the air; the latter being such as to render respiration difficult.

The strange manner of living to which our artists were reduced during the time they were employed in a geometrical mensuration of some degrees of the meridian, may not perhaps prove uninteresting to the reader; and therefore the following account is given as a specimen of it. The desert of Pichincha, both with regard to the operations performed there and its inconveniences, differing very little from others, an idea may be very easily formed of the fatigues, hardships, and dangers, to which they were continually exposed during the time they were prosecuting the enterprise, with the conduct of which they had been honoured. The principal difference between the several deserts consisted in their greater or lesser distance from places where they could procure provisions; and in the inclemency of the weather, which was proportionate to the height of the mountains, and the season of the year.

They generally kept within their hut. Indeed they were obliged to do this, both on account of the intenseness of the cold, the violence of the wind, and their being continually involved in so thick a fog, that an object at six or eight paces was hardly discernible. When the fog cleared up, the clouds by their gravity moved nearer to the surface of the earth, and on all sides surrounded the mountains to a vast distance, representing the sea, with their rock like an island in the centre of it. When this happened, they heard the horrid noises of the tempests, which then discharged themselves on Quito and the neighbouring country. They saw the lightnings issue from the clouds, and heard the thunders roll far beneath them; and whilst the lower parts were involved in tempests of thunder and rain, they enjoyed a delightful serenity; the wind was abated, the sky clear, and the enlivening rays of the sun moderated the severity of the cold. But their circumstances were very different when the clouds rose; their thickness rendered respiration difficult; the snow and hail fell continually; and the wind returned with all Andes all its violence; so that it was impossible entirely to overcome the fears of being, together with their hut, blown down the precipice, on whose edge it was built, or of being buried under it by the daily accumulations of ice and snow.

The wind was often so violent in these regions, that its velocity dazzled the sight, whilst their fears were increased from the dreadful concussions of the precipice, caused by the fall of enormous fragments of rocks. These crashes were the more alarming, as no other noises are heard in these deserts; and during the night, their rest, which they so greatly wanted, was frequently disturbed by such sudden sounds. When the weather was anything fair with them, and the clouds gathered about some of the other mountains which had a connection with their observations, so that they could not make all the use they desired of this interval of good weather, they left their hut to exercise themselves. Sometimes they descended to some small distance; and at others, amused themselves with rolling large fragments of rocks down the precipice; and these frequently required the joint strength of them all, though they often saw the same effect by the mere force of the wind. But they always took care in their excursions not to go too far out, but that on the least appearance of the clouds gathering about their cottage, which often happened very suddenly, they could regain their shelter. The door of their hut was fastened with thongs of leather, and on the inside not the smallest crevice was left untopped; besides which, it was very compactly covered with straw: but notwithstanding all their care, the wind penetrated through. The days were often little better than the nights; and all the light they enjoyed was that of a lamp or two, which they kept continually burning.

Though their hut was small, and crowded with inhabitants, besides the heat of the lamps; yet the intensity of the cold was such, that every one of them was obliged to have a chafing-dish of coals. These precautions would have rendered the rigour of the climate supportable, had not the imminent danger of perishing by being blown down the precipice routed them; every time it snowed, to encounter the severity of the outward air, and fall out with shovels to free the roof of their hut from the masses of snow which were gathering on it. Nor would it, without this precaution, have been able to support the weight. They were not indeed without servants and Indians; but these were so benumbed with the cold, that it was with great difficulty they could get them out of a small tent, where they kept a continual fire. So that all our artists could obtain from them was to take their turns in this labour; and even then they went very unwillingly about it, and consequently performed it slowly.

It may easily be conceived what this company suffered from the aperitives of such a climate. Their feet were swelled, and so tender, that they could not even bear the heat; and walking was attended with extreme pain. Their hands were covered with chilblains; their lips swelled and chopped; so that every motion in speaking, or the like, drew blood; consequently they were obliged to strict taciturnity, and little disposed to laugh, as, by causing an extension of the lips, it produced such fissures as were very painful for two or three days after.

Their common food in this inhospitable region was a little rice boiled with some flesh or fowl procured from Quito; and, instead of fluid water, their pot was filled with ice. They had the same resource with regard to what they drank: and while they were eating, everyone was obliged to keep his plate over a chafing-dish of coals, to prevent his provisions from freezing. The same was done with regard to the water. At first they imagined the drinking strong liquors would diffuse a heat through the body, and consequently render it less sensible of the painful sharpness of the cold; but, to their surprise, they felt no manner of strength in such liquors, nor were they any greater preservative against the cold than common water.

At the same time, they found it impossible to keep the Indians together. On their first feeling of the climate, their thoughts were immediately turned on deserting their masters. The first instance they had of this kind was so unexpected, that had not one, of a better disposition than the rest, staid and acquainted them of their design, it might have proved of very bad consequence. The affair was this: There being on the top of the rock no room for pitching a tent for the Indians, they used every evening to retire to a cave at the foot of the mountain; where, besides a natural diminution of the cold, they could keep a continual fire; and consequently enjoyed more comfortable quarters than their masters. Before they withdrew at night, they fastened on the outside the door of the hut, which was so low that it was impossible to go in or out without stooping; and as every night the hail and snow which had fallen formed a wall against the door, it was the business of one or two of the Indians to come early and remove this obstruction. For though the negro servants were lodged in a little tent, their hands and feet were so covered with chilblains, that they would rather have suffered themselves to have been killed than move. The Indians therefore came constantly up to dispatch this work betwixt nine and ten in the morning: but they had not been there above four or five days, when they were not a little alarmed to see ten, eleven, and twelve o'clock come, without any news of their labours; when they were relieved by the honest servant mentioned above, who had withstood the seduction of his countrymen, and informed his masters of the defection of the four others. As soon as the snow was cleared away from the door, they dispatched the Indian to the corregidor of Quito, who with equal dispatch sent other Indians, threatening to chastise them severely if they were wanting in their duty.

But the fear of punishment was not sufficient to induce them to support the rigour of this situation; for within two days they deserted. The corregidor therefore, to prevent any other inconvenience, sent four Indians under the care of an alcade, and gave orders for their being relieved every fourth day.

Twenty-three tedious days our artists spent on this rock, viz. to the 6th of September, and even without any possibility of finishing their observations of the angles: for when it was fair and clear weather with them, the others, on whose summits the signals which formed the triangles for measuring the degrees of the meridian, were hid in the clouds; and when those were clear, Pichincha was involved in clouds. It was therefore necessary to erect their signals in a lower situation, and Andes, a hamlet of Mantua in Italy, the birthplace of Virgil. Hence the epithet Andinus (Silius Italicus). Now called Pietola, two miles to the west of Mantua.

ANDETRIUM; ANDRETRIUM (Strabo); ANDERCRIUM, or ANDRECRIUM (Ptolemy): An inland town of Dalmatia. The genuine name is Andetrium (Inscription). It is described as situated near Salona, on a naturally strong and inaccessible rock, surrounded with deep valleys, with rapid torrents; from which it appears to be the citadel now called Clifia. E. Long. 17° 46'. N. Lat. 43° 20'.