THE COASTS OF GUAYANA, VENEZUELA, ETC. U5 



ever, a^'-'hough the most awful of any in the Caribbean Sea, and creating 



much anxiety to those exposed to its fury, is grand and subhme.* 



Lieutenant Evans, " Eevision of Geographic Terms," page 107. 



(69.) On the Coast of Guayana, the cool season is from November to 

 May, when the N.E. wind reaches the shore ; the hot season is from June 

 to November, when S.B. and variable winds and calms prevail. Land 

 winds from S.W. to N.W. blow at intervals close to the shore. 



On the Coast of Guayana (the Derrotero again continues) there are no 

 land-breezes, nor more wind than is generally experienced between the 

 Tropics. In January, February, and March, the winds here blow from 

 North to E.N.E., and the weather is clear. In April, May, and June, the 

 winds are from East to S.E. In July, August, and September, there are 

 calms, with Tornados from South and S.W. ; and in October, November, 

 and December, there are continued rains, while the sky is, in general, 

 obscured by clouds. In the dry season, which is from January to June, 

 the heat is very great ; and in the wet season, from August to November, 

 rains and thunder are constant and violent. 



On the Coasts of the Venezuelan provinces of Cumana and Caraccas, as 

 far West as Cape la Vela, the Trade breeze follows by day the regular 

 course, E.S.E. to E.N.E., but at night inclines from the land. From 

 that cape to Cape San Bias, along the Coast of New Granada, the general 

 wind alters its direction, for it blows from N.E. or N.N.B., except in the 

 months of March, April, May, and June, when it comes to E.N.E., and is 

 then so uncommonly strong as to render it necessary for vessels to lie-to. 

 These gales, which are well known to mariners, extend from about mid- 

 channel of the Caribbean Sea to within 5 or 10 miles of the coast, where 

 they become weak, especially at night. The Trade Wind blows from the 

 N.E. into the Gulf of Darien with great strength from November to March, 

 or later. 



In July, August, and September, vessels proceeding to windward will 

 frequently be assisted by a Westerly wind near the coast. As far as the 

 Gulf of Nicaragua, these Westerly winds occur from July to November or 

 December, and are known to the pilots of that country as Vendavales 

 (rainy winds), but these winds never pass the parallel of 13° N., nor do 

 they blow constantly, but alternate with the sea-breeze. 



Upon the Mosquito Shore, Honduras, and Eastern Coast of Yucatan, the 

 general Trade Winds or breezes prevail from January to June ; but, during 

 the first two or three of these months, they are occasionally interrupted by 

 Norths. In June, July, August, and September, the wind generally comes 

 from the S.E.- with occasional very heavy squalls from the S.W., tornados, 



* The winds on the South Coast of Cuba, when the Trade is not blowing steadily, have 

 a remarkable rotary motion following the course of the sun, according to Dove's Law of 

 Gjrration (19). Thus, in the evening, the wind comes ofi the land about North ; by 

 daylight it will be N.E. ; at 8 a.m., E.N.E. ; at noon, E.S.E. ; at 2 p.m., South; at 

 4 p.m., S.W., in which quarter it generally dies away into a calm until the land-wind 

 comes off again. By a knowledge of this a vessel may creep fast to windward during 

 the calm months of May, June, and August, and frequently at other seasons. The Trade 

 ia found to be unsteady, especially in the night. 



N. A.O. 90 



