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Southern and in the northern hemispheres. The 

 north and northerly winds, before they arrive at Chili, 

 cross the torrid zone, and there becoming loaded with 

 vapours, bring with them heat and rain. This heat 

 is, however, very moderate, and it would seem that 

 these winds, in crossing the Andes, which are con- 

 stantly covered with snow, become qualified, and lose 

 much of their heat and unhealthy properties. In Tu- 

 cuman and Cujo, where they are known by the name 

 of Sonda, they are much more incommodious and 

 are more suffocating than even the Siroc in Italy. 

 The southerly winds coming immediately from the 

 antarctic pole, are cold and dry. These are usually 

 from the south-west, and prevail in Chili during the 

 time that the sun is in the southern hemisphere. 

 They blow constantly towards the equator, the at- 

 mosphere at thât period being highly rarefied, and 

 no adverse current of air opposing itself to their 

 course. As they disperse the vapours, and drive them 

 towards the Andes, it rains but seldom during their 

 continuance. The clouds collected upon these moun- 

 tains, uniting with those which come from the north, 

 occasion very heavy rains, accompanied with thun- 

 der, in all the provinces beyond the Andes, particu- 

 larly in those of Tucuman and Cujo, while, at the 

 same time, the atmosphere of Chili is constantly clear, 

 and its inhabitants enjoy their finest season. The 

 contrary takes place in winter, which is the fine sea- 

 son in these provinces, and the rainy in Chili. The 

 south wind never continues blowing during the 

 w hole day with the same force : as the sun ap- 



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