Ch.I. south AMERICA. 147 



On the coafl: of Sumber, of which the") qo r * 

 latitude by obfervation was 3° 14' J 



We fliould, for feveral days, have been without 

 knowing certainly the latitude, an obiedt of the laft 

 importance in any voyage, had not Mr. Godin had 

 the precaulion to take with him a Hádley's quadrant. 

 This ingenious gentleman having been pitched upon 

 for the voyage to America, undertook a journey to 

 London, purely to purchafe feveral inñruments, and 

 among 'Others bought that already mentioned; and 

 which proved of the greateft ufe to us, in finding the 

 latitude during this pallage ; a point the more dif- 

 ficult and neceflary, on account of feveral perplexing 

 circumfiances ; the courfe being fometimes north, 

 fometimes ibuth, and the currents fetting in the fame 

 direction. Afijfled by this inftrument, we were ena- 

 bled to take the meridian altitude of the fun, whilfr, 

 from the denfity of the vapours which filled the at- 

 mofphcre, the fhadow could not be defined on the 

 ufual inftruments. 



CHAP. II. 



Account of the Foyage from Perico to Puna. 



THE brifas, by their return, as we before ob- 

 ferved, occafion an alteration in the weather of 

 Panama, by introducing the fummer, as tiiey alio do. in 

 the pafiage from Perico to Puna ; or, more properly, 

 to Cape Blanco : for, after the brifas have begun to 

 blow at Panama, they gradually increafe and fpread, 

 in oppofition to the- Ibuth winds, till, overcoming 

 them, they are fettled : but their periods are not 

 aKvays equal, either on the land or in the ocean. 

 Generally the brifas do not reach beyond the equator, 

 or are fo faint, as often to be interrupted by calrps, 

 or other weak and. unfettled winds. Sometimes, in- 

 ' L 2 deed, 



