Page 140
An.1684
The Soil and Buildings of Peru.
ally, is the want of materials to build withal; for however it be more within Land, yet here is nei- ther Stone nor Timber, to build with, nor any mate- rials but such Brick as I have described: and even the Stone which they have in some places is so brit- tle, that you may rub it into Sand with your fingers. Another reason why they build so meanly is, be- cause it never rains; therefore they only endeavour to fence themselves from the Sun. Yet their walls, which are built but with an ordinary sort of Brick, in comparison with what is made in other parts of the world, continue a long time as firm as when first made, having never any winds nor rains, to rot, moulder, or shake them. However, the richer sort have Timber, which they make use of in build- ing; but it is brought from other places.
This dry Country commences to the Northward, from about Cape Blanco to Coquimbo in about 30 d. S. having no Rain that I could ever observe or hear of; nor any green thing growing in the Mountains: nei- ther yet in the Valleys, except where here and there water'd with a few small Rivers dispers'd up and down. So that the Northernmost parts of this Tract of Land are supplied with Timber from Guiaquil, Galleo, Tornato, and other places that are watered with Rains; where there are plenty of all sort of Timber. In the South parts, as about Guafco and Coquimbo, they fetch their Timber from the Island Chiloe, or other places thereabouts. The walls of Churches and rich mens Houses are whitened with Lime, both within and without; and the doors and posts are very large, and adorned with carved work, and the beams also in the Churches: The inside of the Houses, are hung round with rich embroydered, or painted Cloaths. They have likewise abundance of fine Pictures, which adds no small ornament to their House: these, I suppose, they have from Old Spain. But the Houses of Payta are none of them so