160 OBSEEVATIONS ON THE WINDS. 



The moon has great influence on the weather; for 't is most squally ai^d 

 unsettled, with much rain, about the full and change. 



I perfectly agree with Captain Cheveley, that the month of July is, 

 perhaps, the worst in the year for making southing between the Trades. 

 I have made two homeward passages in July between the meridians of 

 22° and 26° W., and met upon each occasion with the same weather as 

 described by that gentleman ; namely, strong S.W. winds, hard squalls, 

 and torrents of rain, with a heavy sea, and Northerly currents. 



(86.) Between Cape Blanco and the entrance of the Biver Gambia, Captain 

 J. W. Monteath states that during the months of November, December, 

 January, February, and March, the winds from the East and N.E. are 

 prevalent. In this time the nights are cool; but scarcely has the sun 

 arisen above the horizon, when the air becomes dry and parching. Never- 

 theless, these five months are the winter in this part of Africa, and this is 

 the most healthy season. Between the Gambia and Cape Palmas the 

 inland winds, during the same season, are variable. 



In June, July, August, September, and October, the country situated 

 between Cape "Verga and Cape Mount is much exposed to Hurricanes or 

 Tornados. These, however, do not occur in any part of the coast North- 

 ward of Cape Verga. From the 20th degree of North latitude to the 

 environs of the Line, the atmosphere emits its waters to the earth ; the 

 only difference is, twenty days sooner or later in the arrival of these 

 torrents. During the other eight months in the year there does not fall a 

 single drop of water. 



Between the Gaj^e Verde Islands, and in their neighbourhood, Southerly 

 and S.W. winds generally blow in July, August, September, and October. 

 These islands, when the sun is in their zenith, are generally surrounded 

 by thick fogs. 



From Sierra Leone to Cape Palmas, the ordinary course of the winds on 

 the coast is from W.N.W., and beyond Cape Palmas, from W^S.W. to 

 S.W. and S.S.W. 



Although, in the Gulf of Guinea, the wind blows generally from the 

 Southward, and S.S.W. toward the coast, they take, in South latitude, a 

 more Westerly direction near the land, and then prevail from S.W. and 

 W.S.W. between Cape Lopez and Benguela. But they veer proportionally 

 more Southerly as the distance increases from the coast. 



Windward Coast, &c. — The name of Windward Coast has been given 

 by our navigators to the whole of that coast which extends from Cape 

 Mount to the Kiver Assinee, thus embracing the Gold Coast, and thence 

 continues to the Westward, including the three particular coasts called, 

 1st. The Coast of Adou, or Quaqua ; 2nd. The Ivory or Teeth Coast ; 

 3rd. The Grain or Pepper Coast. 



From January until May, the weather here, along shore, is commonly 

 fair and clear, with cooling breezes, and gentle Southerly winds. But about 

 the middle of May, South and S.E. winds begin, accompanied not only 

 with Hurricanes and stormy gusts, but also with thunder, lightning, and 

 great rains, which continue, more or less, until the conclusion of the year. 

 On the Gold Coast, from Assinee to the Eiver Volta, the wind in January 

 begins to blow from the S.W. quarter, and becomes stronger in February 



