Htilorie of the Indies, lib.!. 103 



where the funne approcheth ncereft , is not oncly tem 

 perate, but in many parts cold. Confidering thi> mat 

 ter generally, I findc t\vo general cau(es,which maketh 

 this Region temperate : the one is that before mentio 

 ned , for that*this Region is very moift and fubied to 

 raine , and there is no doubt but the rayne doth refrefli 

 it, for that the water is by nature cold-and although by 

 the force of the fire it be made hotte , yet doth it tem 

 per this heat proceeding oncly from the funne-bcamcs, 

 The which we fee by experience in the inner o4>^/rf, 

 the which is burnt with the Sunne, having no fliowres 

 to temper the violence thereof. The clouds and mifts 

 are the caufe that the funne offends not fo much 5 and 

 the fliowers that fall from them , refrefli both the ayre 

 and the earth, andmoiftcnlikewifehowhot foeveric 

 be. They drinks raine water , and it quencheth the 

 third , as our men have well tried , having no other to 

 drinke. So as reafbnand experience doth teach vs,that 

 raine of it felfe doth temper the heat 5 and having by 

 this meanes (hewed , that the burning Zone is much 

 fubiect vnto raine, it appeares that there is matter in it, 

 to temper the violenceof the heat. To this I will adde 

 an other reafbn, which deferves to be kiiowne, not on 

 ly for this matter, but for many others for although 

 the Sunne be very hotte and burning vnder the Equi- 

 noftiall, yet is it not long, fo as the heate of the day be 

 ing there fliorter, and of lefTe continuance, itcaufeth 

 not fo violent a heate ; the which it behooves tofpe- 

 cifie more particularly. Such as are pra&ifed in the 

 knowledge of the Spheare teach very well, that the 

 more the Zodiake is oblique and traverfing our Hem i- 

 fphere , the more vnequall are th : daies and nights^and 

 contrari wife 3 where the fphcre is ftraight,and the figncs 



H 4 mount 



