212 OBSERVATIONS ON THE WINDS. 



Crossing the Bay of Biscay with a North- Westerly breeze, it is almost sure 

 to lead down the coast, and coming from the Southward with a S.E. or 

 S.W. wind it will lead up. I have seen it once, in the summer time, blow- 

 ing right on shore, but it was only a moderate breeze, and the weather 

 was beautiful. I have noticed that if the weather is changing from fine to 

 bad, the sky remains clear long after the barometer has begun to go down ; 

 say vnth a S.W. or S.E. breeze coming on, the glass indicates an approach- 

 ing disturbance, the wind pipes up and the sea rises, then small clouds 

 begin to fly, getting bigger every minute until rain falls, and the sky gets 

 quickly overcast, with heavy rain at intervals. When it is going to fly to 

 the N.W., a harder squall and a heavier shower seem to usher in the 

 change. The barometer springs up a little, then stops, and, as the squall 

 moderates, a thin patch is seen to the N.W., which quickly develops, and 

 soon the sky is cleared, possibly to become partially overcast again. Now 

 the barometer is rising briskly, and the sea goes down as quickly as it rose ; 

 two or three hours will raise or allay a good heavy squall. 



" There appears to be a perpetual swell coming from the Westward, 

 summer or winter, sunshine or storm. Any time I have passed up or down 

 this coast it has been here, sometimes long and low ; at other times high 

 and hollow, but always perceptible, and often a nuisance ; for, running 

 down vdth a North wind and accompanying sea, the two meeting make 

 a ship very uncomfortable. 



" Generally speaking, I notice that from whatever quarter the wind may 

 come, the sky keeps clear as long as the breeze is hght to moderate in force, 

 but if it freshens it becomes overcast at once ; blowing fresh from S.W. to 

 N.W., I may get a blink of the sun for sights, but a strong breeze away by 

 N.E. round to the Southward means a grey coating of clouds all over the 

 sky." — Nautical Magazine, November, 1880, pp. 917 — 918. 



We have no trustworthy observations on the prevailing winds on the 

 Coast of Portugal, as affected by local circumstances. 



(148.) Cadiz. — The sea breezes here vary from West to N.N.W., and 

 are generally strongest at the full and change of the moon, when they not 

 unfrequently blow during the whole night. They set in most commonly 

 with the flood, and are of less strength when the tide makes near noon ; 

 indeed, at that period calms are not uncommon throughout the day. The 

 land wind seldom reaches the anchorage, although above Puntales Castle 

 there is scarcely a night without it. 



The S.E. and East winds are most dreaded by the inhabitants^ but they 

 are by no means so destructive in their effects as the S.W. and Westerly 

 gales, which send a heavy sea into the bay ; whereas the East being an 

 off-shore wind seldom creates any swell of consequence. These winds most 

 commonly set in at the full and change of the moon, particularly the former, 

 and blow with great violence ; they are seldom known in the winter months, 

 and generally commence in May or June, with intervals of a fortnight or 

 three weeks, and their average duration is three days, but at times five. 



The inhabitants consider that when the hills of Eonda appear near and 

 distinct, it is a sign of an Easterly wind, but there are exceptions to this 

 rule. It may, however, be considered almost to a certainty, that when the 

 hills have the above appearance, an Easterly wind exists in the Strait of 



