6^6 ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 



▼iolence is pall in Auguft or September. During the whole winter feafon there is no 

 dependance on being fafe from ftorms, which rife with a fudden rapidity ; and in all 

 latitudes beyond forty degrees, the winter fets in confiderably fooner, even at the 

 beginning of April, and is alfo obferved to laft longer. 



The winter in all latitudes beyond twenty degrees is ufhered in by northerly winds. 

 They are not indeed fixed like thofe of the fouth, though common to the feafon. They 

 always blow with great violence, but not always with the fame degree, being lefs ftrong 

 in the beginning than in the depth of winter, when their rage ftrikes the moft refolute 

 with horror, and raifes fuch enormous waves, that (he atmofphere is crouded with 

 vapours , and thefe turn to a drizzling rain, which lads as long as the ftorm continues. 

 It often happens that thefe violent north winds, without the leaft fign of an approaching 

 change, fliift round inftantly to the weft, which change is called the travefia, but conti- 

 nue to blow with the fame force. Sometimes indeed this fudden change is indicated by the 

 horizon clearing up a little in that quarter ; but in feven or eight minutes after the 

 appearance of this fmall gleam of light, a fecond ftorm comes on ; fo that when a ihip 

 is labouring againft the violence of a ftorm from the north, the greateft care muft be 

 taken, on the leaft appearance, to prepare for the travefia; indeed its rapidity is often 

 fuch as not to allow time fufficient for making the neceffary preparations, and the dan- 

 ger is fufficiently evident if the ftiip has her fails fet, or is lying-to. 



In the month of April 1743, in the latitude of forty degrees, I had the misfortune 

 of experiencing the fury of a ftorm at north, which lafted in its full violence from the 

 29th of March till the 4th of April. Twice the wind ftiifted to the travefia, and veer- 

 ing round to the fouthward, returned in a few hours to the north. The firft time it 

 ftiifted to the weft, the ftiip, by the vortices formed in the fea by this fudden oppofition 

 to the courfe of its waves, was fo covered with water from head to ftern, that the 

 officers who were on the watch concluded ftie had foundered ; but fortunately we had 

 our larboard tacks on board, and by a fmall motion of the helm, the ftiip followed the 

 change of the wind, and brought-to without receiving any damage ; whereas we fiiould 

 otherwife in all probability have been loft. Another circumftance in our favour was, 

 that the wind was fome points to the weftward of the north. For though thefe winds 

 are here called nortes, they are generally between the north and north- weft, and during 

 their feafon, veering in fmall fqualls to the north, and in others to the north-weft. 

 Sudden calms alfo often intervene ; but if thefe happen before the wind has pafled the 

 travefia, it returns in about half, or at leaft an hour with redoubled fury. Thefe dan- 

 gerous variations are however indicated by the thicknefs of the atmofphere, and the 

 denfe clouds in the horizon. The duration of thefe ftorms is far from being fixed or 

 regular, though I well know fome pilots here will have it, that the north wind blows 

 twenty-four hours, and then pafles to the travefia ; that it continues there with equal 

 violence three or four hours, accompanied with fiiowers, which abate its firft violence ; 

 and that it then veers round till it comes to the fouth- weft, when fair weather fucceeds. 

 I own indeed that I have in feveral voyages found this to be true ; but at other times I 

 experienced, that the fucceflive changes of the wind are very different. The ftorm at 

 north I before mentioned, began March the 29th, at one in the afternoon, and lafted 

 till the 31ft at ten at night, which made fifty-feven hours; then the wind ftiifted to 

 the travefia, where it continued till the ift of April vidthout any abatement, that is, 

 during the fpace of twenty-two hours. From the weft, the wind veered round to the 

 weft-fouth-weft and fouth-weft, ftill blowing with its former violence. Hence a fhort 

 calm fucceeded ; after which, it a fecond time ftiifted to the north, where it continued 

 blowing with its former fury fifteen or twenty hours j then came on a fecond travefia ; 



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