( 35* ) 



are felt in France and even in Italy ; in the month 

 of July, during the dog-days, we had the 

 fun above our heads, and the heat was cer- 

 tainly much greater, but more fupportable. This 

 difference does not arife from the winds, for 

 we not only had them, but always have the 

 fame in both feafons. Neither was it owing to 

 their being more accuftomed to them, for we 

 were not lubjecl: to thofe continual fweats which 

 had been fo troublefome to us in the month of 

 April. 



We muft therefore fearch for fome other reafon, 

 and this readily prefents itfelf to me. In the fpring, 

 the air is frill full of thofe vapours which have been 

 collected during the winter. Thefe vapours, at 

 the approach of the fun, are at firft fet on fire, 

 and this is what occafions thofe unfufferable heats 

 and profufe fweats with which we were oppreffed 

 in the month of April ; we were almoft always as 

 it were in Balneo Mariae. Thefe vapours are dif* 

 fipated in the month of July, and though the fun 

 was much nearer us, the leaft air of wind was fuffi- 

 cient to refrefh us, by blunting the vigour of his 

 rays, then almoft perpendicular over our heads ; 

 whereas in France the fun never thoroughly dif- 

 fipates the vapours, as he does between the tro- 

 picks, at leaft they are here not near fo grofs, 

 which is the caufe that produces, not mly the dif- 

 ference of heat, but like wife of the fenfation of 

 that heat. 



On the twentieth, we difcovered the fame land 

 of Cuba which we had feen feven days, three 

 months before. Two things occafioned this de- 

 lay. The firft was, the not being able to depend 

 upon an obfervation* when the fun is fo high, be- 



caufe 



