Page 139
An.1684
Payta. The Buildings in Peru.
cannot get any thing under the shore; but here they dare not do it: for, by relation of the Spani- ards, they find a current setting N. W. which will carry a Ship off more in 2 hours, than they can run in again in 5. Besides, setting to the Northward they lose ground: therefore they alway beat it up under the shore, which oft-times they find very difficult, because the wind commonly blows very strong at S. S. W. or S. by W. without altering; for here are never any Land-winds. This Cape is of an indifferent heighth: It is fenced with white Rocks to the Sea; for which reason, I believe, it hath this name: The Land in the Country seems to be full of high, steep, rugged and barren Rocks.
The 2d day of November we got as high as Payta: We lay about 6 leagues off shore all the day, that the Spaniards might not see us; and in the evening sent our Canoas ashore to take it, mann'd with 110 men.
Payta is a small Spanish Sea-port Town in the lat. of 5 d. 15 m. It is built on the Sand, close by the Sea, in a nook, elbow, or small bay, under a pret- ty high hill. There are not above 75 or 80 Houses, and 2 Churches. The Houses are but low and ill built. The building in this Country of Peru is much alike, on all the Sea-coast. The Walls are built of Brick, made with Earth and Straw kneaded toge- ther: They are about 3 foot long, 2 foot broad, and a foot and half thick: They never burn them, but lay them a long time in the Sun to dry before they are used in building. In some places they have no roofs, only poles laid across from the side walls, and cover'd with matts; and then those walls are carry'd up to a considerable heighth. But where they build roofs upon their Houses, the walls are not made so high, as I said before. The Houses in general all over this Kingdom are but meanly built: one chief reason, with the common people especi- ally,