THE CANARY ISLANDS. ' - 581 



CANARY ISLANDS— The Climate of the Canary Islands, though 

 warm, is generally healthy, being situated near the northern limit of the 

 N.E. Trade Wind. The ordinary summer mid-day temperature, in towns 

 by the sea, averages about 82° ¥., though it sometimes rises higher. In 

 winter the mean temperature averages between 65° and 67°, seldom falling 

 lower, though colder in the higher lands ; snow lies on the peaks for 

 several months of the year. The annual rainfall on the coast of the 

 western group averages only between 8 and 12 inches, falling chiefly in 

 November and December. '• '^^• 



The central mountains of Grand Canary tower so far above the clouds 

 as to stop the current of the prevalent N.E. wind, especially in summer ; 

 so that when this wind blows hard on the North side of the mountains, it 

 is either quite calm on the other side, or a gentle breeze blows upon it 

 from the S.W., to the distance of 8 or 9 miles ofi shore, when the aerial 

 currents again unite. Within this space a westerly current runs about 

 half a mile an hour close inshore, which is advantageous to the coasters. 



VVjiids. — The prevailing winds among the islands are from North to 

 N.B., but from November to January short but violent gales from S.B. 

 are sometimes experienced, generally bringing rain and thick fog, and 

 foretold by a swell coming in two or three hours in advance ; at this 

 season the only safe anchorage is that off Las Palmas. During the same 

 period, gales are also experienced between S.W. and N.W. Southerly 

 winds are sometimes felt, bringing a dry suffocating heat similar to the 

 African Harmattan. In the principal bays there are regular land and 

 sea breezes, though the former never extends far from the shore. When 

 the N.E. wind blows very fresh, a wind from the opposite quarter is often 

 found near to leeward of each island, known as the Emhata. 



The barometer is here very sensitive, rising before winds from the East, 

 and falling before West and S.W. winds. An easterly wind brings thick 

 weather, and when it blows strong is called the Brisa Parda. 



Calms of the Canary Islands. — With a steady N.E. Trade blowing, its 

 current is stopped or diverted by the mountains, and in this way a belt of 

 calms and eddy-winds is formed to leeward of each island. This belt 

 generally extends 30 miles to leeward of Palma, 15 miles from Tenerife, 

 and 25 miles from Grand Canary, though these distances are sometimes 

 greatly exceeded, reaching 60 or 70 miles to the S.W. 



" I have," says Captain George Glas, " been frequently in all the calms 

 of the islands, excepting those of Palma ; and, from my experience of 

 them, I may venture to say, that it is extremely dangerous for small vessels, 

 or open boats, to venture within them when the wind blows hard without. 

 The sea here, not moving forward in the same direction with the sea 

 without, but being, as it were, stagnant, or at rest, resists the waves that 

 fall in upon it from without ; and this resistance causes them to break 

 just in the same manner as the billows break upon the seashore, but with 

 less violence, on account of the different nature of the resistance. Thia 

 breakmg of the waves is only on the very verge of, or just entering into, 

 the cahns ; for within them the water is smooth and pleasant. 



*' Upon first coming into the calms, the waves may be seen foaming 



