6o4 JAMAICA. 



the mountain, was repelled with almoft equal force, and re-ailed 

 upon the back-part. 



The Tea- breeze divides, at the Eaflern end of the ifland, into two 

 flreams; fo that, on what is called the North fide, the inhabitants 

 have their breeze apparently from the North- eaft ; and tliofe on the 

 South fide, from the South-eaft. This may, in fome meafure, ac- 

 count for what would otherwife appear very luigular, viz. the 

 blowing of the wind fomctimes from the mountains towards every 

 part of the fea-coafl: all round the ifland, when the mountains have 

 the fea-breeze, and the lowlands none, and which comes with the 

 greateft impetus upon thofe parts which are backed by the higheft 

 mountains. But the great difparity on the ftate of the atmofphere 

 at night, on the mountains and over the lowlands, is doubtlefs the 

 real caufe of the true land-wind. 



The lowland atmofphere is, in the courfe of tlie day, rarefied to 

 a prodigious degree by the folar a6lion, and reflection of the 

 earth's furface. The atmofphere of the mountains, on the other 

 hand, is, from the extent of their woods, frequency of rains, and 

 their elevation, comparatively denfer. Their denfe, moifl: vapours 

 rufli down to every part of the coafl: and the favannahs in a con- 

 tinued current, which will always be more or lefs violent, in pro- 

 portion as the lowland atmofphere has been more or lefs rarefied ; 

 and this ftream defcends incefiantly through ti:ie night, endea- 

 vouring, as it were, to reftore an equilibrium. But a pofitive 

 equilibrium, perhaps, can never happen, the fun not continuing 

 long enough under the horizon, and the heavy cold air of the 

 upper region defcending in fuccefhon to the mountain tons, and 

 fupplying frefli aid to the current by its condcnfing piower. How- 

 ever, a great change is effedled, during the night, on the Ifate and 

 temperature of the air below, which is fo well refrigerated by the 

 land-wind, that, immediately preceding the dawn of day, it is often 

 extremely cool. When the fun has rifen above the horizon fome 

 degrees, and begun again to rarefy the air of the flat councry, the 

 current of wind becomes freOier, and augmented in its ftrength ; 

 and fo continues, until the regular trade fcts in upon the coafl:, and 

 fufpends it entirely till the return of evening. Tiiis may be termed 

 the true land-wind, to diflinguifli it from thofe irregular currents 



of 



