tt A VOYAGE TO Book VII. 



' happens to meet any ftrong current, it is fwept away 

 by its rapidity, and carried into the fea. When we 

 forded it, the waters were very low, notwithftanding 

 which, we found from three feveral experiments made 

 cn its banks, that the velocity of the current waS 

 35 toifes in 29 | feconds ; fo that the current runs 

 4271 toifes, or a league and an half in an hour. This 

 velocity does not indeed equal what M. de la Conda- 

 mine mentions in the narrative of his voyage dowa 

 the river Maragnon, or that of the Amazones, at the 

 Pango, or ftreight of Manceriche. But, doubtlefs, 

 v/hen the river of Santa is at its ufual height, it ex- 

 ceeds even the celerity of the Pango at the time of 

 making our obfervations, it was at its loweft. 



The latitude of the town of Santa Miria de la 

 Parrilla, for fo it is alfo called, we determined by an 

 obfervation of fome ftars, not having an opportunity 

 of doing it by the fun, and found it 8^ 57' 36'' S. 

 It was firfb built on the fea coaft, from which it is 

 now fomething above half a league diftant. It was 

 large, populous, the refidence of a Corregidor, and 

 had feveral convents. But in 1685, being pillaged 

 and deftroyed by the above-mentioned Englifli adven- 

 turer, its inhabitants abandoned it, and fuch as were 

 not able to remove to a place of greater fecurity, 

 fettled in the place where it now ftands. The whole 

 number of houfes in it at prefent does not exceed 

 thirty ; and of thefe the beft are only of baxareque, 

 and the others of ilrav/. Thefe houfes are inhabited 

 with about 50 poor families confifting of Indians, 

 Mulattoes, and Meftizos. 



During our obfervations, we Vv^ere entertained with 

 a fight of a large ignited exhalation, or globe of fire 

 in the air, like that mentioned in the firlt volume of 

 this work, tho* not fo large, and lefs effulgent. Its di- 

 redion was continued for a confiderable time towards 

 the weft, till having reached the fea coaft, it difap- 

 peared vvith an explofion like that of cannon. Thofe 



