Sea between Europe and America. $ 



like parcels of combed wool, or fo many fkains 

 of yarn* which they faid forebode a ftorm. Thefe 

 ftriped clouds ran north-weft and fouth-eaft, in 

 the diredion of the wind we then had. Towards 

 night the wind abated and we had a perfect 

 calm, which is a fign of a change of wind, 



Aug. 25th and a6th. A WEST wind fprung 

 up and grew flronger and ftronger, fo that at laft 

 the waves warned our deck. 



Aug. 27th. IN the morning we got a better 

 wind, which went through various points of the 

 compafs and brought on a florm from north-eaft, 

 towards night. 



OUR captain told me an obfervation founded 

 on long experience, viz. that though the winds 

 changed frequently in the Atlantic ocean, efpe- 

 cially in fummer time, the moft frequent how- 

 ever was the weftern ; and this accounts for the 

 paflage from America to Europe commonly be- 

 ing morter, than that from Europe to America. 

 Beiides this, the winds in the Atlantic during 

 fummer are frequently partial, fo that a ftorm 

 may rage on one part of it, and within a few 

 miles of the place little or no ftorm at all may 

 be felt. In winter the winds are more conftant, 

 extenfive and violent; fo that the fame wind 

 reigns on the greater part of the ocean for a good 

 while, and caufes greater waves than in fum- 

 mer. 



Aug. 30th. As I had obferved the night be- 

 fore fomc ftrong flames of lightening without 

 any fubiequent clap of thunder, I enquired of 

 our captain, whether he could affign any reafons 

 for it. He told me thefe phcenomena were 



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