>5Q A VOYAGE TO Book IV, 



The land all along the coaft from Panama to Santa 

 Elena is of a middling height, except in fome parts, 

 where we difcern mountains at a vaft diftance, an(i 

 very high ; being part of the Cordillera. Monte 

 Chrifto is the land-mark of Manta, being a high 

 • mountain, and having a village of the fame name at 

 its foot. 



In the bays along this coaft, and particulary at the 

 mouths of rivers, it is dangerous to keep clofe to the 

 Ihcre, there being many fhallows not known even to 

 the pilots of the country. In the bay of Manta, there 

 is one at the diftance of three or four leagues from the 

 fhore, on which feveral fhips have flruck ; but the 

 water is here fo fmooth, that all the damage they 

 fuflained was, their being obliged to be immediately 

 careened, in order to ftop the leaks occafioned by the 

 accident. 



In all this paflage a rough fea is feldom met with ; 

 for, if it be fometimes agitated by fqualls and Ihort 

 tempefts, it foon fubfides after the ftorm is over. 

 V/hilft the fouth winds prevail, fogs are very frequent, 

 and fometimes fo thick as totally to preclude all fight 

 of the coaft. This we ourfelves partly experienced in 

 our paiTage ; where-^.s, during the brifas, it is quite the 

 contrary ; the air is ferene, and the coaft fo clear as to 

 be approached with confidence and fafety. 



CHAP. III. 



Of our Stay at Guayaquil, and the Me a fur es i alien 

 for our Journey to the Mountains. 



r~¥^HE Ihip, St. Chriftopher, which we left at 

 Puna, followed us fo foon, that on the 26th in 

 the evening fhe came to an anchor before the city ; 

 the next day all our baggage and inftruments were 

 funded, and we began our obfervations for determin- 

 ing 



