SEASONS OF GREATEST MOISTURE. 77 



reason. But let vs now looke into the temperature of LlB - &quot; 

 Panama and all that coast, as well of new Spaine, the Hands 

 of Barlovent, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, as of S. lohn de 

 Puerto Rico, wee shall, without doubt, finde that from the 

 beginning of November vntill Aprill, they have the aire 

 cleere and bright; the reason is, for that the Sunne passing 

 by the Equinoctiall to the Tropicke of Capricorne, re tyres 

 from those Regions more then at any other time of the 

 yeere. And contrariwise, they have violent showers and 

 great swellings of water, whenas the Sunne returnes and is 

 neerest vnto them, which is from June vnto September, for 

 then his beames beate most vpon them. The like happens 

 at the East Indies, as we learne daily by letters that come. 

 So, as it is a generall rule, although in some places there is 

 an exception, that in the Region of the South or burning 

 Zone, which is all one, the aire is most cleere and driest, 

 whenas the Sun is farthest off; and contrariwise when it 

 approcheth, there is greatest rayne and humiditie j and even 

 as the Sunne advanceth or retyreth little or much, even 

 so the earth abounds or wants water and moisture. 



CHAP. iv. That in the Regions which be without the Tropicks 



there is greatest store of waters, whenas the Sunne is 



farthest off, contrary to that vnder the burning Zone. 



In Regions which lie without the Tropicks we see the con 

 trary to that which hath beene spoken ; for that the rayne 

 is mingled with cold, and the drought with heate, the which 

 is well knowne in all Europe and the old world, as we see in 

 the same manner in the new world, whereof the whole 

 Kingdome of Chile is a witnesse, which lying without the 

 Tropicke of Capricorne, and in the same height with Spaine, 

 is subiect to the same lawes of Winter and Summer, but 

 that Winter is there, whenas it is Summer in Spaine, being 



