142 



DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS, 



CHAPTER VI. 



PERUVIAN REGIONS. 



On the 3d, the breeze favored us throughout the day : an An- 

 tarctic bird, the Cape petrel, ProceUaria Capensis, unexpectedly 

 making its appearance so near the Tropic, gave warning, that the 

 climate continued cool. 



1. The Atacaman Desert-region. 



In sailing North along the continent, the direct course soon led us 

 at a distance from the land. We saw nothing of the Atacaman coast, 

 described as Desert ; though when moisture is deposited at intervals 

 of twenty years or more, plants are said to spring up. 



On the 7th, the Latitude gained was "21° 05' S. :" and we were 

 nearly at our greatest distance from the land ; the coast soon begin- 

 ning to incline Westward, so as to be exposed to the perpetual South 

 wind from the sea. 



2. The Peruvian Desert-region. 



On the 10th, the Latitude gained was " 16° 25' S." And on the 

 11th, the Relief was drawing near the Peruvian coast. 



At daybreak on the 12th, there was another call on deck to look at 

 the Andes. The ledge in the Eastern horizon intercepting the sun, 

 was now flat-topped throughout its whole length, with two dimi- 

 nutive projecting points barely distinguishable on the crest, and there 

 was no illuminated outline. The land seemed quite near, for about 



