STRENGTH OF CURRENT. 53 



windward of Santa Martha ; but on getting 

 in-shore we found we were seven miles to 

 leeward of that place ; the current from 

 the eastward having been running for the 

 last twenty-four hours upwards of two and 

 a half knots an hour, which agrees with 

 Baron Humboldt's account, that the current 

 runs from one and a half to four knots an 

 hour, according to the force of the wind and 

 the season of the year. The natives say that 

 the moon likewise has a considerable effect 

 on this current, which, at the new and full 

 moons, changes, and runs to the eastward 

 for twenty-four hours. 



Here I must caution all captains of ships 

 navigating on this line of coast, to allow 

 for the current, in general, at least one 

 knot and a half per hour, on an average, 

 with an increase in proportion to the 

 strength of the breeze, and an abatement 

 at the new and full moons : otherwise ves- 



