WESTERN TROPICAL AMERICA, 59 
Approaching Guayaquil from the south, the first object seen is, not land, but 
trees, skirting the horizon in broken masses, since the land first-sighted is ex- 
tremely low; and this is a striking circumstance after an habitual acquaintance 
with bold and treeless scenery. The land, however, soon becomes elevated and is 
uniformly covered with forest. Cape Blanco is the southern limit of the Bay, 
and in the vicinity is Tumbez. These places may be regarded as the limits of 
that very remarkable climate which stretches over the maritime part of Peru, and 
is never known to afford a shower of rain. Parallel with this is the absence of 
thunder and lightning, or electrical disturbances of the atmosphere. and the nearly 
constant prevalence of a southerly wind; and to this latter Ulloa long since 
attributed the absence of rain. The transition to a very different state of things 
is most sudden, and at Guayaquil the rains descend in torrents, the town becomes 
flooded, and it is not at all unusual to navigate the streets in boats. Vegetation 
so closely follows climate, that we cannot than be surprised at the sudden change 
it assumes. 
The first favourable impressions are strengthened when the forest is around 
us. The different habits of the trees, the size and richness of the flowers, and 
above all, the large and novel seed-vessels, give an exciting freshness to the scene. 
It may be that a few old acquaintances are recognised, but they have here a new 
aspect. The pigmy Jacquinia aurantiaca of our conservatories is here a forest 
tree profusely covered with fragrant flowers. The Mimosa is no longer a stripling 
plant but a time-worn tree, venerable from age and long exposed to the vicissi- 
tudes of the seasons, and alive with humming birds and gaudy drwas or witches. 
In the forest, in this immediate neighbourhood, there is an absence of certain 
forms,—thus, ferns are by no means frequent, epiphytic plants are rarely seen, 
and Endogene are comparatively rare. The Bignonias are particularly handsome, 
and large species of Ficus abound. On the whole, the number of species yielding 
profit or amusement to the botanist will probably fall beneath his estimate ; and 
during the height of the dry season I have traversed these forests without reaping 
a single specimen, and witnessed such a scene of desolation in the striped and 
denuded trees, as I never thought to see within the tropics. The luxuriant 
vegetation of these latitudes is of short duration, and nearly confined to that 
period when heat and moisture combine to kindle it. At that time it unquestion- 
ably is surpassingly rich. | 
St. Helena is the northern boundary of the Bay of Guayaquil. In November 
we found the vegetation very scanty, and though there were patches of shrubs, 
the land is bolder, but very sandy, everywhere barrenness and aridity presented 
themselves, and water was scarce even for domestic use. Among the rocks and 
loose soil on the high table-land of the Point were some magnificent arborescent 
