106 THE CORAL ISLANDS. 
Having sailed four thousand miles in three 
weeks, since we left Chili, we reached the 
neighbourhood of the dangerous Archipelago. 
By degrees we now lost, contrary to all rule in 
this climate, the’ south-east trade-wind, which 
had hitherto been so favourable to us, and 
contrary winds from the West and North 
brought us very bad weather. An opinion 
has been hitherto entertained, that the coral 
islands, from lying so low and in small 
masses, could produce no change in the 
atmosphere, and that the trade-winds, to which 
they offered no obstruction, would continue to 
blow uninterruptedly in their neighbourhood. 
Repeated experience has, however, convinced 
me that this is an error, and that these little 
islands, at certain seasons, often cause varia- 
tions from the ordinary tropical weather. 
On the 26th of February, we entered 
16° of latitude, and 129° of longitude. The 
wind blew from the West: black clouds labour- 
ing upwards, covered the sky; violent and sud- 
den gusts expended their fury on us, and light- 
nings flashed from every corner of the horizon. 
The night was really dreadful, and the tem- 
