204 



GULF OF SANTA MARTA. 





tained 90*. The disappearance of one of those lunar haloa 

 was followed by the formation of a great black cloud, from 

 which fell some drops of rain; but the sky soon resumed its 

 fixed serenity, and we saw a long series of falling-stars and 

 bolides, which moved in one direction, and contrary to that 

 of the wind of the lower strata. 



On the 23rd March, a comparison of the reckoning with 

 the chronometric longitude, indicated the force of a cur- 

 rent bearing towards W. S. W. Its swiftness, in the 

 parallel of 17, was twenty to twenty-two miles in twenty- 

 four hours. I found the temperature of the sea somewhat 

 diminished; in latitude 12 35', it was only 25'9 (air 

 27'0). During the whole day the firmament exhibited a 

 spectacle which was thought remarkable even by the sailors, 

 and which I had observed on a previous occasion (June 

 13th, 1799). There was a total absence of clouds, even of 

 those light vapours called * dry ;' yet the sun coloured, 

 with a fine rosy tint, the air and the horizon of the sea. 

 Towards night, the sea was covered with great bluish 

 clouds ; and when they disappeared, we saw, at an immense 

 height, fleecy clouds in regular spaces, and ranged in 

 convergent bands. Their direction was from N.N. W. to 

 S.S.E., or more exactly, N. 20 "W., consequently contrary 

 to the direction of the magnetic meridian. 



On the 24th March, we entered the gulf which is 

 bounded on the east by the coast of Santa Marta, and on 

 the west by Costa Rica ; for the mouth of the Magdalena 

 and that of the Kio San Juan de Nicaragua, are on 

 the same parallel, nearly 11 lat. The proximity of the 

 Pacific Ocean, the configuration of the neighbouring lands, 

 the smallness of the isthmus of Panama, the lowering 

 of the soil between the gulf of Papagayo and the port of 

 San Juan de Nicaragua, the vicinity of the snowy moun- 

 tains of Santa Marta, and many other circumstances too 

 numerous to mention, combine to create a peculiar climate 

 in this gulf. The atmosphere is agitated by violent gales, 

 known in winter by the name of the brizotes de Santa Marta. 

 When the wind abates, the currents bear to N.E., and the 

 conflict between the slight breezes (from E. and N.E.) 



and moon, of which the rays were 22; 22 52'; 38; 46. (North-west 

 Passage, 1821.) 



