THE EARTH. 297 



There are winds also that may be considered 

 as peculiar to certain coasts; for example, the 

 south wind is almost constant upon the coasts of 

 Chili and Peru ; western winds almost constantly 

 prevail on the coast of Terra Magellanica, and 

 in the environs of the Straits le Maire. On the 

 coasts of Malabar, north and north-west winds 

 prevail continually ; along the coast of Guinea, 

 the north-west wind is also very frequent ; and, 

 at a distance from the coasts, the north-east is 

 always found prevailing. From the beginning of 

 November to the end of December, a west wind 

 prevails on the coasts of Japan ; and, during the 

 whole winter, no ships can leave the port of Co- 

 chin, on account of the impetuosity of the winds 

 that set upon the coast. These blow with such 

 vehemence, that the ports are entirely choked 

 up with sand, and even boats are not able to 

 enter. However, the east winds that prevail for 

 the other half of the year, clear the mouths of 

 their harbours from the accumulations of the 

 preceding winter, and set the confined ships at 

 liberty. At the Straits of Babelmandel there is a 

 south wind that periodically returns, and which 

 is always followed by a north-east. 



Beside winds thus peculiar to certain coasts, 

 there are others found to prevail on all the coasts, 

 in warm climates, which, during one part of the 

 day, blow from the shore, and during another 

 part of it, blow from the sea. The sea breeze, in 

 those countries, as Dampier observes, commonly 

 rises in the morning, about nine, proceeding 

 slowly, in a fine small black curl upon the sur- 



