1696.] DEPARTUllE FROM MAURITIUS. 215 



Winds that are very violent, and accompany 'd with great 

 Eains. 



It is a very singular thing in this Island, if what I have 

 been told be true, that when-ever any Hurricane comes, it is 

 always on the 9th of February. This passes for a current 

 Truth. 



The Inhabitants chuse for their Sowing-time^ this rainy 

 Weather, which continues, without Intermission, for five or 

 six Weeks together. This Island is not unhealthy, altho' 

 the Heats be sometimes most excessive. Fair Weather 

 commonly lasts there from the Month of June to that of 

 February. 



After having waited for a favourable Wind above six"^ 

 Weeks, we at length set sail about six a clock in the Morn- 

 ing, and so escap'd the pernicious Paws of the Sieur Ftod. 

 Diodati. 



The Wind having shifted all of a sudden, we found our- 

 selves obliged to drop Anchor : About Noon it came about 

 to the South-East, and then we sail'd again, but we had soon 

 after so great a Calm, that we saw the Island Maurice even 

 on the ninth day. We return'd as far as the thirty-ninth 

 Degree to find the Westerly Winds, which conducted us to 



period of comparative calm (1852-57), which was followed by six years 

 (1858-63) remarkable for cyclones. The next five years (1861-68) 

 showed a considerable decrease, and since (1869-74) there was again 

 an increase, and so on. This periodicity has been found to coincide 

 with the cycle of sun-spots. (Vide Nature, vol. vi, p. 358.) 



1 " Sowing-time." " The summer is very dry and the ground is in a 

 state of aridity during that season. The warm rains then succeed, 

 giving such vigour to vegetation that the weeds frequently prevail over 

 the regular crops, which are twofold in the course of the year. In this 

 season is sown the maize. In the month of May and June we sow our 

 corn, which we reap at the end of September, as well as various kinds 

 of beans, the greater part of which is sent to the magazines of the 

 Company, to be ready for supplying the ships. Corn generally produces 

 an hundred-fold.'' (Bai-on Grant, p. 191.) 



'^ la orig.: " plus de trois semaines." 



