ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 389 



anchored about half a league from the land ; the river's mouth bearing eaft five degrees 

 northerly, and the ifland of Santa Clara, commonly called Amortajado, or Muerto, 

 from its refembling the figure of a human corpfe, north four degrees eafterly, in four- 

 teen fathoms water, and a muddy bottom. 



Some particular affairs of the captain of the fhip obliged us to remain here till 

 the 20th, when, at fix in the morning, we weighed ; and at half an hour after fix 

 in the evening, the flrength of the current on the ebb obliged us to come to an 

 anchor. Thus we continued anchoring every ebb, and failing during the flood. 

 And here we found that the current always fets out of the bay, though with much 

 lefs velocity on the flood than on the ebb ; for we obferved that the tide never 

 altered its dire6lion in nineteen hours and a half. The caufe of this phenomenon 

 is fuppofed to be, the prodigious quantity of water difcharged into it by the rivers. 

 On the 23d, having come to an anchor off Punta de Arenas in the ifland of Puna, 

 we fent on fliore for a pilot to carry in our ftiip ; for, though the diflance was 

 only feven leagues, the great number of fliallows in this fliort paffage rendered a 

 precaution of this kind prudent, if not abfolutely neceffary j and on the 24th, at 

 feven in the morning, we fafely anchored in Puna harbour. Cape Centinela bearing 

 fouth-fouth-wefl: 2° 30' weflierly, and Cape Maria Mandinga wefl-north-weft: 1° 15' 

 wefl:erly, dift:ant one quarter of a league. 



From Punta de Mala to St. Matthew's bay, we had the wind firft: at north, and 

 north-wefl ; afterwards it ftiifted to the north-eafl:, and during the lafl: day veered to the 

 eafl:-north-eaft ; but when we came in fight of this bay, changed again to north, being 

 preceded by rains, which continued till our arrival at Manta, the winds having fliifted to 

 the fouth-eaft, fouth, and fouth-weft and weft, but with fome variations from all thofe 

 points. 



I have already mentioned that at St. Matthew's bay it was not only the opinion 

 of the pilots relating to the currents which fet towards Gorgona, but alfo our own 

 experience, that induced us to alter our courfe, which was neceflTary, in order to 

 continue our voyage. All the reft of the coaft, from Cape St. Francis to Manta, 

 they fet to the north, and this prevented us from getting to windward, and obliged 

 us to tack, as the wind was contrary. 



In our paffage from Manta to Cape Blanco, the winds were not lefs favourable, 

 continuing as before, except a few gales at north-weft and north-north-eaft, till we 

 made the above cape. The currents here alfo fet to the northward, and from Cape 

 Blanco to Puna harbour, to feaward, that is, towards the weft ; but, as we have 

 before obferved, a greater velocity on the ebb than on the flood. 



Being very defirous of obferving an eclipfe of the moon, which was to happen 

 on the 26th of March, and our time for preparing for it being but fliort, we con- 

 cluded to ftay at a little village fituated in this harbour ; but finding thefe houfes, 

 which were entirely built of canes, too weak to fupport the pendulum, we determined 

 to make the beft of our way to Guayaquil ; and accordingly, at half an hour after 

 eleven at night we lelt the fhip at anchor, and went to the city in a boat ; and, 

 at five in the evening of the 25th, by the vigour of our rowers, we arrived at 

 Guayaquil, notwithftanding the ftrength of the tide againft us. Here we imme- 

 diately applied ourfelves to fettle the pendulum ; but our diligence was entirely fruf- 

 trated, the air being fo filled with vapours, that nothing was to be feen. 



It may not be amifs here to infert the variations we obferved in different parts of the 

 South Sea, in the fame order with thofe obferved from Cadiz to Carthagena. 



A Table 



