7(3 SEASONS OF GREATEST MOISTURE. 



LIB. ii. w ju we p r oove it, although it be verie difficult, and will 

 endevour to give a reason, following the termes of Philoso 

 phic. The last point that wee propounded, that the drought 

 is greatest whenas the Sunne is neerest to the earth, 

 seemeth certaine and infallible, and yet it is very false ; for 

 there is never greater aboundance of raine in the burning 

 Zone, then whenas the Sunne goeth directly over them, and 

 is very neere. Truely, it is an admirable thing, and worthy 

 observation, that the ayre is most cleere, and without rayne 

 vnder this burning Zone, whenas the Sunne is farthest off; 

 and contrariwise there is most rayne, snow, and mists, 

 whenas the Sunne is neerest. Such as have not travelled 

 in this new world, will haply thinke this incredible, and it 

 will seeme strange even vnto such as have beene there, if 

 they have not well observed it ; but the one and the other 

 will willingly yeeld, in noting the certaine experience of 

 that which hath beene sayd of this part of Peru, which looks 

 to the Southerne or Antartike Pole; the Sunne is then 

 farthest off, when it is neerest vnto Europe, that is, in Maie, 

 lune, luly, and August, whenas hee makes his course in the 

 Tropicke of Cancer. During which Moneths, the aire at 

 Peru is very cleere and caline, neyther doth there fall any 

 snow or raine ; all their rivers fall much, and some are dried 

 vp quite ; but as the yeere increaseth, and the Sunne ap- 

 procheth neere vnto the Tropicke of Capricorne, then be 

 gins it to raine and to snow, and their Rivers swell from 

 October to December. Then after that the Sunne retyring 

 from Capricorne, whenas his beames reflect directly vpon 

 the heads of them of Peru, then is the violence of their 

 waters great, then is the time of raine, snow, and great 

 overflowings of their Rivers, when, as their heate is greatest, 

 that is, from lanuarie to mid March ; this is so true and 

 certaine, as no man may contradict it. And at that time 

 the contrary is found in the Regions of the Pole Articke, 

 beyond the Equinoctial!, which proceeds from the same 



