ATLANTIC TRADE WINDS. 361 



the ship. Ornaments made from palm leaves, sweet- 

 meats of very suspicious appearance, photographs, 

 and tobacco in various forms, were the chief articles 

 of traffic, and the main object seemed to be to prolong 

 the chaffering and bargaining over each article so as 

 to kill as much time as possible. More attractive in 

 appearance were the tropical fruits, of which those 

 suitable to a dry climate grow here in perfection. In 

 spite of persevering efforts, I have never developed 

 much appreciation of the banana as an article of diet, 

 but I thought those obtained here much the best that 

 I have anywhere eaten. 



General satisfaction was felt when, the work of 

 coaling being finished, the ship vv^as again in motion, 

 with her head set towards Europe. On returning to 

 the channel between the islands, and still more when 

 we had got well out to sea, we encountered a rather 

 strong breeze right ahead, which with varying force 

 continued for the next four days. This was, of course, 

 the regular trade wind of the North Atlantic, and had 

 the agreeable effect of lowering the temperature, 

 which at once fell to ']%'^. Along with the trade wind, 

 the sea-current apparently travels in the same direc- 

 tion. It is certain that the temperature of the water 

 was here much lower. Before reaching St. Vincent 

 we found it between 80° and 81° Fahr., while after 

 leaving the islands it had fallen to 74°. This tem- 

 perature remained nearly constant for three days, but 

 on the evening of the 9th, in about 27° north latitude, 

 we abruptly encountered another current of still cooler 

 water, in which the thermometer fell to 69°. 



The force of the wind never, I think, exceeded 



