ran all down the little turnings

[enkidu68]

Hi folks, this is cited from a book A new voyage around the world… (1723) by Daniel Defoe
Q: I am not able to get what this bold means

“ran all down the little turnings” Does the water flow by forming little turnings?



We went on thus pretty much on a level, now rising, now falling; but still I found that we were a very great height from our first entrance, and, as to the running of the water, I found that it flowed neither east nor west, but ran all down the little turnings that we frequently met with on the north side of our way, which my patron told me fell all into the great valley where we saw the fire, and so passed off by a general channel north-west, until it found its way out into the open country of Chili, and so to the South Seas.

 

[PaulQ]

I found that it flowed neither east nor west, but ran all down the little turnings that we frequently met with on the north side of our way,

I found that it (water) flowed neither east nor west, but ran all down in the little winding courses that we frequently met with on the north side of our way,

Defoe is noting that the water runs (north and downhill) in zig-zags.

 

[enkidu68]

I found that it flowed neither east nor west, but ran all down the little turnings that we frequently met with on the north side of our way,

I found that it (water) flowed neither east nor west, but ran all down in the little winding courses that we frequently met with on the north side of our way,

Defoe is noting that the water runs (north and downhill) in zig-zags.

So, what found its way and reached to South Seas finally is this running[winding] water, right?

 

[PaulQ]

Right.

 

[enkidu68]

Right.

thanks a lot.