VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH SEAS.
77
Auguſt 7.On the ſeventh of Auguſt, we ſaw the famous burning mountain of Guata-mala. From that time, to our croſſing the gulf of Tecoantepeak, and reaching point Angels in Latitude 16° and Longitude 100°, there was, for nine days, little or no ceſſation of calms, and the change that followed was a ſeries of tornados, torrents of rain and tremendous thunder and lightning, more violent than any I ever heard or ſaw on the coaſt of Guinea, or off the capes of Virginia in North America. If there was any difference, in the fervid ſeverity of the ſeaſon, during the twenty-four hours, it was in favor of the day; for in the night the lightning and thunder were moſt violent. From ſun-ſet till ſun-riſe, the heavens were one entire flame, which was heightened, by the frequent exploſions of the burning mountains. This awful and alarming ſtate of the weather, was accompanied with an almoſt inſufferable heat, and a ſuffocating, ſulphureous air. From the light airs, calms and variable currents, we had little hopes to ſhift our ſituation. Thus ſurrounded, as we were, with theſe oppreſſive circumſtances, and divided only by a few leagues acroſs the main, from the bay of Honduras, it was impoſſible to ſuppreſs an occaſional wiſh that we were there. A traveller that had viſited Peru or its coaſts, (where the dews of bounteous Heaven ſupply every call of rain, and where thunder and lightning are ſeldom or
