3*1 philosophical geography. Feb. i^. 



that the land breezes are most prevalent, and of long- 

 est duration, in the coldest months of December 

 and January; before and after which two months, the 

 trade-winds prevail, being generally checked only a 

 day or two about the full or change of the moon. 

 As these western breezes on the coast, take their 

 rise from the same cause as the diurnal land breezes 

 in warm climates, they may be considered as land 

 breezes of two or three days continuance, and form- 

 ing an intermediate step between the land breezes and 

 monsoons. 



Although the influence of these breezes is felt 

 farther off at sea, than the common diurnal breeze, 

 yet they do not extend a great way, being seldom 

 felt above twenty, thirty, or forty leagues from the 

 Ihore ; and about Cape la Vela, which is much exposed 

 to the east wind, these breezes seldom extend above 

 eight or ten leagues from Ihore. 



Land breezes of the same nature, and proceeding 

 from similar causes, are also experienced in the win- 

 ter season, in the bay of Campeachy, which are there 

 known by the name of Sujiimasenta winds. Beyond 

 Cape la Vela these western breezes are not felt, 

 which is undoubtedly occasioned by the whole of 

 that coast, as far as Cape St Augustine, being so 

 much exposed to the general trade-wind, which here 

 sweeps along it with so much violence, as almost 

 totally to reprefs the weaker influence of the 

 breezes. But between Cape St Augustine and St 

 Catharine's island, or a little farther, we again meet 

 with a variation, of the wind at different seasons, as it 

 u here observed to blow in an E. or N. E. direction 



