324 ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



Capricorn : for his approach to the autumnal equinox is the time when the calms 

 mofl prevail. 



From the iflands of Martinico and Dominica to that of Curafao and the coafl: of 

 Carthagena, the winds continued the fame as in the ocean, though more variable, and 

 the weather lefs fair. I have faid that about one hundred and feventy leagues before 

 -we reached Martinico the winds were interrupted by fqualls ; and thefe are more com- 

 mon beyond thofe iflands, and are immediately fucceeded by Ihort calms ; after which 

 the wind frefhens again for half an hour, an hour, two hours, and fometimes longer. 

 From what quarter thefe tornadoes or fqualls proceed, I cannot pofitively affirm ; but 

 it is certain, that when they are over, the wind begins to blow from the fame point as 

 before, and nearly with the fame force. And here it may be of ufe to obferve, that 

 on any appearance of thefe fqualls in the atmofphere, the utmofl expedition mud be 

 ufed in getting the fhip in readinefs, their impetuofity being fo fudden as to admit of no 

 time for preparatives ; and therefore the leaft negligence may be attended with the 

 moft fatal confequences. 



In the voyage from Cadiz to the Canaries, in fome parts, though the winds 'are 

 otherwife moderate, the fea is agitated by thofe from the north and north-weft fome- 

 times in large and long waves ; fometimes in fmall but more frequent ones, which 

 happens when the wind blows ftrongly along the coafl of France and Spain ; for in 

 the ocean the winds are fo mild, that the motion of the fhip is hardly perceived, which 

 renders the pafTage extremely quiet and agreeable. Within the windward iflands, and 

 even before we reach them, in the parts where thefe terrible fqualls prevail, the fea is 

 agitated in proportion to their violence and duration ; but no fooner is the wind abated, 

 than the water becomes again clear and fmooth. 



The atmofphere of the ocean anfwers to the calmnefs of the winds and fea, fo that 

 it is very feldom an obfervation cannot be taken, either from the fun's being obfcured, 

 or the hazinefs of the horizon. This is to be underflood of the fair feafon ; for other- 

 wife here are dark days, when the air is filled with vapours, and the hofizon very 

 hazy. At all times it is feen filled with white and towering clouds, embellifhing the 

 Iky with a variety of figures and ramifications, which amufe the eye, tired with being 

 fo long confined to two fuch fimilar objeds as the fea and fky. Within the windward 

 iflands the variety is flill greater, the quantity of vapours profufely exhaled, filling it 

 in fuch a manner, that fometimes nothing but clouds are to be feen, though part of 

 thefe are gradually difperfed by the heat of the fun, fo that fome parts are quite clear, 

 others obfcure ; but a general darknefs during the whole day is never known. 



It is well known and allowed, that through the whole extent of the ocean, not the 

 leafl current is perceiveable, till we arrive within the iflands, where in fome parts they 

 are fo flrong and irregular, that without the greatefl vigilance and precaution, a fhip 

 will be in great danger among this archipelago. This fubje^l, together with the winds 

 peculiar to this coaft, fhall hereafter be confidered more at large. 



In the track to Martinico and Dominica there is a fpace where the water, by Its white 

 colour, vifibly diflinguifhes itfelf from the refl of the ocean. Don George, by his 

 eflimate, found this fpace to terminate one hundred leagues from Martinico ; whereas, 

 according to my reckoning, it reached only to within one hundred and eight leagues ; 

 it may therefore, at a medium, be placed at one hundred and four. This fmall dif- 

 ference doubtlefs proceeds from the difficulty of difcovering where this whitifh colour 

 of the water terminates, towards Martinico. It begins at about one hundred and forty 

 leagues from that ifland, which mufl be underflood of the place where the different 

 colours of the water are evident j for if we reckon from where it begins to be jufl dif- 



fcernible. 



