Ch. IIÍ. south AMERICA. 151 



ing the íituatlon of Guayaquil, with regard to its la- 

 titude and longitude. The deiire of fucceeding ren- 

 dered us very attentive to obferve an immerfion of the 

 I'atellites of Jupiter, to make amends for our difap- 

 pointpient of the cclipfe of the Moon ; but we were 

 in this equally unfortunate ; the denñty of the vapours 

 which filled the atmoiphere rendered our deiign abor- 

 tive ; but, the days being more favourable than the 

 nights for afironomical obfervations, we took. Icveral 

 meridian altitudes of the Sun, and never negledled 

 any opportunities that offered, during the nights, of 

 doing the fame with regard to fome particular ftars. 



On our arrival at Guayaquil, the corregidor of tliat 

 city, whofe great civility, together with that of all 

 the king's officers and other pcrfons of diítinólion, 

 deferves our acknowledgments, lent notice of it to the 

 corregidor of Guaranda, that he might order carriages 

 to the port of Caracol, for conveying us to the moun- 

 tains. The paffage thither was then indeed impra<£li-,, 

 cable; it being in this country the end of winter, at, 

 which time the roads are exlrcmcly bad, and the ri%'ers 

 fwellcd fo as not tobe forded without the grcateil rilkr, 

 and too wide for the bridges of this country. 

 . The corregidor of Guaranda was then at Quito on 

 fome buñnefs of his office ; but the prefident and go- 

 vernor of that province, Don Dionyfio de Alcedoy 

 Herrera, ordered him to return to his jurildiótion 

 without delay, for providing every thing necelTary for 

 our journey ; fending, at the fame time, circular 

 orders to all the other corregidors, through whofe jurif- 

 diclions we were to pafs to Quito, enjoining them npt 

 to be wanting in any kind of good office in their power. 

 Every thing being thus happily difpofed, and advice 

 arriving that the mules were on their way to Cat^col, 

 where they arrived the 6th of May, we were no lefs 

 expeditious to embark on the river, which is the 

 ufual paffage. There is indeed a road by land ; but 

 at all times extremely difficult and dangerous, on ac- 



L 4 count 



