INFLUENCE OF THE HUMBOLDT CURRENT. 51 



breezes that accompany it, is far greater than that of 

 the disposition of the mountain ranges. A glance at 

 the map shows that about the fifth and sixth degrees 

 of south latitude the direction of the coast undergoes 

 a considerable change. On the voyage from Panama, 

 we had hitherto steered somewhat west of south ; 

 henceforward our course lay between south-south-east 

 and south-east. All the currents of the ocean and 

 atmosphere, whose existence arises from the unequal 

 distribution of heat on the earth's surface, vary some-'^ 

 what in their course throughout the year with the 

 changes of season, and this doubtless holds good on 

 the American coast. I believe, however, that both 

 the sea and air currents from the south are normally 

 deflected away from the coast at the promontory of 

 Ajulla (sometimes written " Ahuja "), a short distance 

 south of Payta. A further portion is again deflected 

 westward at Cape Parinas, north of which headland 

 they seem not to be ordinarily met. I infer, however, 

 from the testimony of seamen, that at some seasons 

 they are felt near the coast as far north as the equator, 

 and even beyond it. This inference was confirmed 

 by observing the parched appearance of the seaward 

 slope of Cabo Sta. Elena, north of the Gulf of Guaya- 

 quil, which apparently does not fully share in the 

 frequent rains that elsewhere visit the coast of 

 Ecuador. 



Whatever force there may be in the above sugges- 

 tions, I confess that they do not seem to me adequate 

 to account for the extraordinary difference of climate 

 between places so near as Payta and Tumbez — not 

 quite a hundred miles apart — and I trust that further 



