194 A VOYAGE TO Book VlIL 



in the fummer, that is, from November to May^ 

 fometimes veer as far as S. E. Near the coafi: is 

 a periodical morning breeze, or faint eafteriy wind, 

 which fhifis round to the S. E. or S. S. E. and in 

 this feafon, at any diilance from the coall, the S. 

 winds are aifo faint , nor are cahiis uncommon, tho* 

 they are of iliort continuance ; but the Brifas never 

 reach fo far : and this renders the voyage from Paita 

 to Callao fo very long in all feafons. For if a fhip 

 ftretches out to a great difcancefrom the coaft,the winds> 

 even within ten or twelve leagues, fhift from S. to S. 

 W". but if Hie keeps along the fhore, and endeavours 

 to perform her voyage by tacking, fhe lofes on one, 

 what fhe gained on another, Befides, during the 

 winter the currents fet ftrongly towards the N. or No 

 W. and confequently render tne voyage ftill more tedi- 

 ous. In fummer there is here generally no current, or 

 if any do fet to the north v;ard, it is fcarcely perceived 

 the dire6lion of the current in that feafon being gene- 

 rally W. This proceeds from the Brifas blowing 

 from the N. of the equator, tho' they are unable to 

 change the fet of the current to the S. as would be 

 the natural confequence, were it not for the re- 

 fiftance it meets with from the waters agitated by the 

 S. winds to the fouthward of the equinodlial ; but 

 by meeting each other they run towards the W. There 

 are, however, fome fliort intervals during the fummer, 

 when the currents fuddenly change their diredlion, 

 and run to the fouthward, but at no great diftanee 

 from the fhore and in the fame inftantaneous manner 

 iliift about to an oppofite point ^ and this is the reafon 

 why moit iliips coming from Paita to Callao in this 

 feafon keep near the fliore, 'and work up to windward, 

 hoping, by the favourable change of the currents, to 

 acquire that aififtance vyhich the winds deny. 



At all times this voyage is of a mofb difagreeable 

 and fatiguing length ^ for tho' the difrance according 

 to the latitude of chefe ports, be only 1 40 leagues, a 



fhip 



