Ch. I. SOUTH AMERICA. 143 



mixed with fand : Cape St. Lorenzo bearing W.. S. 

 W. and Monte Chrifto S. S. E. 6° eafterly. 



Two reafons induced us to anchor here; the firfl: 

 was, that as part of the intention of our original voy- 

 age was to meafure fome degrees of the equator, be- 

 fides thofe of the meridian-, and having been inform- 

 ed, at Panama, of the fnuation of this coaft, we were 

 defirous of viewing it, in order to know whether, by 

 forming our firft bafe on its plains, the feries of tri- 

 angles could be continued to the mountains contigu- 

 ous to Quito. The fecond the want of water and 

 provifions ; for the feafon being pretty far advanced, 

 we had flattered ourfelves, while at Panama, with 

 falling in with the brifas, and by that means of foon 

 reaching Guayaquil-, and had therefore taken in pro- 

 vifions only for fuch a fhort voyage. 



In order to fatisfy ourfelves with regard to our firfl 

 and principal view, we all went on fnore on the loth 

 in the evening to ^ the village of Monte Chrifto, 

 about two leagues and a half from the coaft. But 

 we foon found any geometrical operations to be 

 imprad:icable there, the country being every where 

 extremely miountainous, and almoft covered with 

 prodigious trees, an infurmountable obftrucftion to 

 any luch defign. This being farther confirmed to 

 us by the Indian inhabitants, we determined to pur- 

 fue our voyage to Guayaquil, and from thence to 

 Quito. Accordingly on the nth we returned to 

 the coaft of Manta, where, whilft the fhip was taking 

 in water and provifion, we employed ourfelves in 

 making obfervations ; by which we found the lati- 

 tude of this place to be 0° 56' fouth. But MefT. 

 Bouguer and de la Condamine, reflccling that our flay 

 at Guay^iquil would be confiderable before the feafon 

 would permit the mules to come from Guaranda to 

 carry us to the mountains, and defirous of making 

 the bed ufe of their time, determined to llay here, 

 in order to make further obfervations on the longi- 

 tude 



