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of April, in the season which they agree to call summer, from the north-west to the south-east; and in winter from the month of May, to the month of December the current runs to the north-west, most frequently west-north-west. On account of this motion of the waters of the ocean, which is only felt at forty leagues distance from the coast, a passage from Acapulco to San Blas lasts from twenty to thirty days in summer, while in winter it lasts only from five to six days.

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On the western coast of the New Continent, between the 16° and 27° of north latitude, a navigator without means of finding his longitude, may be sufficiently sure, if the observation of latitude places him to the north of the loch, that his vessel has been carried by the currents towards the west; while on the other hand, his longitude will be farther east than he finds from his reckoning, if the observed latitude is less than the latitude of his reckoning. But south of the parallel of 16° north, and in the whole southern hemisphere, these rules become very uncertain, as I was convinced from carefully comparing in the eastern part of the great ocean day after day, the point of reckoning with the chronometrical longitude and observations of the sun and moon. Enormous errors in longitude occasioned by the strength of the currents, render navigation

in these latitudes equally long and expensive. Errors accumulate in passages of 2000 leagues, and nowhere is the use of timekeepers and the employment of the method of lunar distances more indispensible than in a sea basin of so⚫ vast an extent. Hence for several years past even the most ignorant pilots begin to feel the great utility of astronomical observations. I knew at Lima, Spanish merchants who had purchased time-keepers for six or eight thousand francs, with the view of embarking them in their newly built ships. I learned with satisfaction, that even several English and Anglo American vessels which double Cape Horn, for the whale fishery, and for visiting the northwest coast of America, are provided with chro

nometers.

The passage from Acapulco to Lima, is frequently longer, and more difficult than a navigation from Lima to Europe. It is executed in winter by ascending to the 28° or 30° of south latitude, before approaching the coast of Chili; and sometimes they are forced to steer to the south south-west beyond the island of Juan Fernandez. This navigation por altura, of which the first example was given in 1540 by Diego de Ocampo under Antonio de Mendoza the viceroy of Mexico, generally lasts from three to four months; but a few years ago the ship Neptune belonging

to the trade of Guayaquil took seven months in going from the coast of Mexico to the Port of Callao.

In summer, from the month of December, to the month of May, they ascend from the Point Páriña (lat. 4° 35′ south; long. 83° 45′) to

*

Lima, by means of the Terral. This track goes by the name of Navigation por el meridiano, because instead of keeping three or four hun dred leagues west from the coast, they endeavour to change the longitude in a very small degree. In Peru, between Paita and the Callao, in Mexico, between Sonzonate and Acapulco, and in general on the greatest part of the coast under the torrid zone, the land wind is very cool during the night; it varies from the south east to south east to the east; while between Cape Blanc and Guayaquil, the wind blows by night from the sea towards the land. The pilots know how to take advantage of this circumstance whenever they get to Punta Pariña. They tack for eighteen hours out at sea to the south-south-west; and at night when the land wind rises, they turn the head towards the coast for the other six hours, plying to windwards with full sail on account of the currents. In the Navigation by the meridian, they should not

* See my Recueil d'Observ. Astronom. redigé par M. Oltmanns, Vol. II. p. 430.

keep more than sixty or seventy leagues from shore. A Portugueze pilot lately showed that this method may even be followed during winter* if the vessel sufficiently obey the helm, and it possesses besides the great advantage of shortening the road. By following it, the tempests which prevail in the months of August, September, and October, between the 28° and 33° of south latitude are avoided. I have thought it proper to mention these details respecting the navigation of the eastern part of the great ocean in this place, not only because they are interesting to the commerce of the New Continent, but because they prove a principle which ought powerfully to influence all political calculations; namely, that nature has thrown enormous obstacles in the way of maritime communication, between the people of Peru and Mexico. In fact, these two colonies, which from their position are not far removed from one another, consider themselves as much in the light of strangers, as they would the people of the United States, or the inhabitants of Europe.

The oldest and most important branch of commerce of Acapulco, is the exchange of the merchandize of the East Indies and China, for the precious metals of Mexico. The commerce

* Moraleda Derotero de la mer del Sur, (a very valuable anuscript).

limited to a single galleon, is extremely simple; and though I have been on the spot where the most renowned fair of the world is held; I can' add little information to that which has been already given before by others*.

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The galleon which is generally from twelve to 1500 tons, and commanded by an officer of the royal navy, sails from Manilla in the middle of July or beginning of August, when the south west monsoon is already completely established. Its cargo consists in muslins, printed calicoes, coarse cotton shirts, raw silks, China silk stockings, jewelleries from Canton or Manilla by Chinese artists, spices, and aromatics. The voyage is carried on either by the straits of Saint Bernardin or Cape Bajadoz, which is the most northern point of the island of Lucçon. It formerly lasted from five to six months; but since the art of navigation has been improved, the passage from Manilla to Acapulco is only three or four months. Winds from the north-west and south-west prevail in the great ocean, as well as generally in all seas beyond the natural limits of the trade winds, to the north and south of the parallel of 28° and 30°. Opposite in their direction to the trade winds, they may be considered as atmospherical counter currents. By

* Anson's Voyage, Vol. ii. chap. X, p. 63, 73; Le Gentil, ii. p. 216; Raynal, ii. p. 90; De Guignes, iii. p. Renouard de Saint Croix, II. p. 357.

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