24 THE OCEAN 



that by sailing in such places they could be 

 sure of a fair strong wind. In other places 

 they learned that the winds were usually very 

 light and baffling or that calms prevailed 

 most of the time and consequently they tried 

 to avoid such places as much as possible. 



The winds which blew steadily in one direc- 

 tion we;re called Trade Winds because they 

 helped the trade of ships with foreign coun- 

 tries, while the calm^spat^^' were called Dol- 

 drums. When a few days out from New 

 York, on a southern trip, odd, fleecy little 

 clouds may be noticed hanging in long rows 

 about the horizon and if the Captain is asked 

 about them he will say they are Trade Clouds, 

 and that the ship is getting into the Northeast 

 Trades, By this he means that the vessel is in 

 the area where the winds blow steadily and 

 strongly from the northeast, and all sailors 

 know that the pretty little trade clouds are 

 sure signs of the trade winds, which hold 

 steady and strong during most of the year and 

 that a ship sailing '4n the trades" may be rea- 

 sonably sure of good, strong, sailing breezes. 



These Northeast Trades blow north of the 



