456 Variable Winds. [Book V, 



account of the tropical winds, by enumerating fome of 

 the principal inflexions of the monfoons. 



Between the months of April and October the 

 wind blows conftantly from W. S. W. in all that part 

 of the Indian ocean which lies between Madagafcar 

 and Cape Commorin, and in the contrary direction 

 from October till April, with fome fmail variation in 

 different places ; but in the bay of Bengal thefe v.inds 

 are neither fo ftrong nor fo conftant as in the In 'ian 

 ocean. It muft alfo be remarked, that the S. W. winds 

 in thofe feas are more foutherly on the African fide, 

 and more wefterly on the fide of India ; but thefe va- 

 riations are not fo great as to be repugnant to the ge- 

 neral theory. The caufe of this variation is, as \vas 

 before intimated, that the mountainous lands of Africa 

 are colder than the flatter regions of Arabia and India, 

 confequently the wind naturally blows from thefe cold 

 mountains, in the fummer feafon, towards the warmer 

 lands of Afm, which occafions thofe inflections of the 

 wind to the eaftward during the fummer months. 

 The peninfula of India, lying fo much farther to the 

 fouth than the kingdoms of Arabia and Perfia, adds 

 greatly to this effect, becaufe the wind naturally draws 

 towards them, and produces that eaftcrly variation of 

 the monfoon which takes place in this, part of the 

 ocean, while the fandy deferts of Arabia draw the winds 

 more directly northward, near the African coaft. A 

 fimilar chain of reafoning will ferve to explain any 

 other inflexions or variations that may occur in the 

 perufal of books of travels, &c. 



The variable winds, .which take place in thefe cli- 



- rnates, depend upon different caufes ; but I am in- 

 clined to agree with M. Briffon in attributing them 



chiefly to electricity. It is to be remembered, that 



whatever deftroys the equilibrium of the air, in other 



6 words. 



