Ch. II. SOUTH AMERICA. iig 



rifes and falls confiderably ; fo that the fliore, lying 

 on a gentle flope, is. at low water, left dry to a gf^at 

 diftance. And here we may obferve the great dif- 

 ference of the tides in the north and fouth feas, being 

 diredly oppofite ; what in the ports on the north fea 

 is accounted irregular, is regular in the fouth and 

 when in the former it ceafes to increafe or decreafe, 

 in the latter it both rifes and falls, extending over the 

 flats, and widening the channels, as the proper effed of 

 the flux and reflux. This particular is fo general, as to 

 be obferved in all the ports of the South-fea ; for even 

 at Manta, which is almofl: under the equino6lial, the 

 fea regularly ebbs and flows nearly fix hours ; and the 

 effefts of thefe two motions are fufficiently viflble along 

 the fhores. The fame alfo happens in the river of 

 Guayaquil, where the quantity of its waters does not 

 interrupt the regular fuccefllon of the tides. The 

 fame pha^nomena are feen at Paita, Guanchaco, Cal- 

 lao, and the other harbours ; with this difference, that 

 the water rifes and falls more in fome places than in 

 others ; fo that we cannot here verify the well-grounded 

 opinion entertained by failors, namely, that between 

 the tropics the tides are irregular, both in the difpro- 

 portion of the time of flood to that of the ebb, and 

 alfo in the quantity of v^ater rifing or falling by each of 

 thefe motions ; the contrary happening here. This 

 phsenomenon is not eafily accounted for; all that can 

 be faid is, that the ifl:hmus, or narrow neck of land, 

 feparating the two feas, confines their waters, whereby 

 each is fubjedt to different laws. 



The variation of the magnetic needle, in this road, 

 is 7° 39' eafterly. Both the road and whole coaft 

 abound in a great variety of excellent fifli, among which 

 are two kinds of oyfl:ers, one fmalier than the other 

 but the fmallefl: are much the befl:. 



At the bottom of the fea, are a great number of 

 pearls ; and the oyfl:ers, in which they are found, are 

 remarkably delicious. This filhery is of great ad- 



I 4. vaniage 



