Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 004.djvu/118

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but goe out round about as the Tropick, or at leak to 28 degrees Latitude for the benefit of the North-East Wind; and when that hath carried them farr West, they come back to the Nordward again: and then, as the Westerly wind hangs more or less Southerly, they have a good or bad passage.

Between 3. or 4 degrees Northern Latitude the South-East-Wind begins to take place between the Æquator and the Tropick of Capricorne. But the nearer you are to the Coast of Africa it is so much more Southerly; and as you approach to the coast of Brasile, it inclines more and more Easterly. And there is not only a Variation in the Wind in respect of Longitude, but also in respect of Latitude: for, near the Æquator the wind is more Southerly, than it is in the same Meridian near the Tropick of Capricorne; as'for example, in the great Bay of Guinea (which our Seamen call the Bight of Guiny) the Wind (as I have been credibly inform'd) is mostly South; and inclines as much to the West as to the East: but in the same Meridian near the Tropick of Capricorne I am sure it is constantly between South-East by East, and South-East by South. And on the contrary in that Meridian, which may be about an 100. Leagues to the Eastward of Brasile near the Æquator, the Wind is between South-East and East-South-East; and in the same Meridian the Winds near the Tropick are more variable, but most part about North-East.

This, I suppose, is as much as you desire for the Winds within the Tropick: and when I have told you, that in our latter Voyage from the Line to the Tropick of Capricorne we had many Calms and what winds we had were very small, which was in the latter half of April and the former half of May, but in our first Voyage in the latter half of May 1657. great storms; I have said all I can.

The Stormy days were May 16 17 18 especially the 17th in 7 degrees Southern Latitude. Also the 20th and 21 in the Latitude of 12 and 13 degrees; and the 27th at night in Southern Latitude of 22. degrees; which storme was the most sudden and unexpected that ever I saw: for all day it was very fair weather, an so, till 8 at night, and the wind at North-East, but on a sudden came a violent storm of wind at South-West, andin