lygi' philosophical geography. 325 



lands, near the fhore, in these warm regions, are gene- 

 rally warmer than the sea, the wind will naturally 

 point in towards the Ihore, as is generally observed 

 there to take place. 



This then is evidently the cause of the south wind 

 which always prevails upon the coasts of Chili and 

 Peru, as well as along the fliores of Angola, Loango, 

 in Africa, i^c. But it is only near the fhore that 

 this can take place ; nor can it extend a great way- 

 above these low aiid fertile regions. For as the in^- 

 ternal parts of these countries are exceedingly high, 

 but more especially the Andes of America, which 

 experience a perpetual degree of cold, more intense 

 than some polar regions ever are subjected to, the air 

 must here be condensed to a very great degree, and 

 send forth from these high regions a perpetual wind 

 to every side, which occasions almost all the .pecu- 

 liarities that have been remarked in these climates ; 

 for, by opposing the general current of the trade- 

 v^ind upon the eastern parts of these continents, they 

 produce those deluges of rain which feed the immense 

 rivers of the Amazons, la Plata, 'iSc. These rivers do 

 not, like the Nile and Gambia, swell only at a parti- 

 cular-season, and then fhrink into a diminutive size 

 again ; but continue throughout the whole year, 

 with a lefs variation of size, to pour their immense 

 floods into the ocean. These cold winds, likewise, 

 stretciiing to the westward, at a considerable distance 

 above the warmest regions of the sea coast, at length 

 descend as low as the ocean, and form the general 

 trade-wind, and occasion that unusual degree^ of cold 

 wliich mariners have so often complained of, cvclii 

 under the line, to the westward of America. 



