34» A VOYAGE TO Book IX, 



obliged us to furl every fail, and lie to. We had 

 alfo here a very high lea to encounter with, but ia 

 two hours our cpprchenfions were relieved, the wind 

 Ihifting to the N. W. and abating confiderably j and 

 two hours after it again returned to the N. whence at 

 ten at night it veered to V/. one q natter foutherly, and 

 became fo moderate that we could carry our top- fails. 

 Here it fetded, and the we^-.ther became fair and eafy ; 

 but thefe variations, by forcing us out of our true 

 courfe, were of great detriment to us, as will be feen in 

 the fequel. 



On the loth, being in the latitude of 45 deg. 14 

 min. and 17 deg. 25 min. E. of Conception, with the 

 wind at S. it began to blow, and at five in ihe morn- 

 ing we were obliged to take in all the reefs in our top- 

 fails; it then ihifted to the S. S. W. with a prodigious 

 fea J fo that at three in the afternoon we v.'ere obliged 

 to lie to under a reefed raainfail. At ten o'clock it 

 ihifted to the S. W. and S. W. one quarter weiierly ; 

 when abatiiig a little on the nth, at fix in the morn- 

 ing, v/c maoc way under our forefaii and topfails all 

 reel 'd i and the wind continued for lome time in this 

 rhomb. 



'Ihe ufual inclination of the wind in thefe feas, and 

 comm.n to all parts of the northern hemifphere, is to 

 follow the iun from E. to S. S. S. W. and N. fome- 

 thing like v^hat has been obfei ved in the chapters which 

 treat of the South-fea. And thus \s hen it has blown a 

 ftorm, inile ad of continuing its inchnadon, it leturnsj 

 and though v.ith all the aj^pcarance of a calm, within a 

 day or two it rifes again with redoubled fury. I'his is 

 a difficulty not cafily folved, for among tlic great num- 

 ber of perfons, othcrwife doubtlefs reipcdable for 

 their eminent talents, v/ho have applied thtinfelvcs to 

 inveiligate the caufcs and origin of winds, not one of 

 them has accounted for their irregularities and grada- 

 tions, both with regard to their vaiiadcn:-, impulle, and 

 dirc6lion. 



7 l^ 



