150 Mr Lawson on the Trade-Winds at Barbadoes. 



the results would be complicated, not so great as when he was 

 nearly vertical — at the same time that a strong indraught on 

 the South American coast had not yet been fairly established. 

 It is quite clear, that if the action of the moon, in changing 

 the direction, or altering the force of the wind, can be esta- 

 blished imder any circumstances, it must equally exist under 

 all, though the currents produced by other causes may mask 

 it to such an extent, as to prevent its detection. 



35. The sun's declination on the 7th September was about 

 6° N. The moon's hour of transit 4" 35" A.M., and her de- 

 clination on the meridian, at Barbadoes, 25° N. At 9 A.M. 

 the wind was NE.,* slight, with a current above from S. At 

 3 P.M. there was a slight breeze from WSW., with currents 

 from NE. and SSE. above, the latter uppermost. On the 

 8th the moon's hour of transit was 5*" 33" A.M., and her de- 

 clination 27° N. ; at 5 A.M. the wind was S., a fine breeze ; at 

 9 the same ; and at 3 P.M. it was SE., a fine breeze, with a 

 current from ENE. above. The diminution of the force of 

 the NE. wind on the morning of the 7th, which, by 3 P.M., 

 had proceeded so far as to admit of a slight sea breeze from 

 the WSW., while the NE. current continued at some eleva- 

 tion, is remarkable ; but the decided change of direction, and 

 increase of force, at 5 and 9 A.M. on the morning of the 8th, 

 is such as cannot be accounted for unless by the attraction of 

 the moon, on passing the meridian with a high northern de- 

 clination, causing the removal of the inner margin of the trade 

 to the northward (21, 30.) The backing of the wind to SE. 

 at 3 P.M., and the occurrence of a current from ENE. above 

 it, were clearly to be referred to the influence of the sun in 

 restoring the trade-wind over the space to the southward of 

 the island, from which it had previously been removed, though 

 the continuance of the wind at SE. shewed this was incom- 

 plete. On the following day, however, though there was a 

 fine breeze from the south-eastward at 5 and 9 A.M., it lulled 

 towards raid-day, and came round to SSW., the cause of 

 which is explained above (29.) 



2Q. On the 10th September the sun's declination was 5° N., 



* See page 155. 



