EED FOGS AND SEA BREEZES. 133 



remains and approaches ; that is the long-mshed-for sea breeze : 

 and yet it is sometimes one, yes, even two hours before the darker 

 tint is permanent, before the sea breeze has regularly set in. 

 Now small white clouds begin to rise above the horizon ; to the 

 experienced seaman they are a prelude to a fresh sea breeze. We 

 welcome the iu\st breath from the sea ; it is cooling, but it soon 

 ceases ; presently it is succeeded by other grateful puffs of air, 

 which continue longer; presently they settle down into the 

 regular sea breeze, with its coohng and refreshing breath. The 

 sun dechnes, and the sea wind — that is, the common trade-wdnd 

 or monsoon which is drawn towards the land — is awakened. It 

 blows right earnestly, as if it would perform its daily task with 

 the greatest possible ado. The air, itself refi'eshed uj)on the deep, 

 becomes gray from the vapour which envelops the promontories 

 in mist, and cm'tains the inland with dark clouds. The land is 

 discernible only by the darker tint which it gives to the mist ; 

 but the distance cannot be estimated. The sailor thinks himself 

 farther from shore than he really is, and steers on his com-se care- 

 lessly, wdiile the capricious wind lashes the waters, and makes a 

 short and broken sea, fi'om the white caps of w^hich light cmds 

 are torn, with sportive hand, to float away hke party-colom'ed 

 streamers in the sunbeam. In the meanwhile clouds appear now 

 and then high in the air, yet it is too misty to see far. The sun 

 approaches the horizon. Far over the land the clouds continue 

 to heap up ; already the thunder is heard among the distant hills ; 

 the thunder-bolts reverberate from hill-side to hill-side, .while 

 through the mist the sheets of lightning are seen.* Finally, the 

 " king of day " sinks to rest ; now the mist gradually disappears ; 

 and as soon as the wdnd has laid down the lash, the sea, which, 

 chafing and fretting, had with curled mane resisted its violence, 

 begins to go dovni also. Presently both v/ind and waves are 

 hushed, and all again is still. Above the sea, the air is clearer or 

 slightly clouded; above the land, it is thick, dark, and swollen. 

 To the feelings, this stillness is pleasant. The sea breeze, the 

 dri^dng brine, that has made a salt-pan of the face, the short, 

 restless sea, the dampness — all have grovv^n wearisome, and welcome 

 is the calm. There is, hoAvever, a somewhat of dimness in the 

 air, an uncertain but threatening appearance. Presently, fi-'om 



* At Buitenzorg, near Biitavia, 40 English miles from the shore, five hundred 

 feet above the sea, with high hills around, these thunder-storms occur betweeu 

 4 p. M. and 8 p. m. 



