LAND AND SEA BllEEZES. 



181 



coast, which it is most advantageous to be placed 

 in, when the sea breeze of the next day begins. 

 Both these winds are modified to a certain ex- 

 tent in their direction, by the winds which pre- 

 vail on the coast, at a distance beyond the influ-^ 

 ence of these diurnal variations. Thus we found 

 both the land and the sea breeze always disposed to 

 have more north-westing in them, than, in strict- 

 ness, they ought to have had ; that is, than they 

 would have had in a situation where no such ge- 

 neral cause prevailed in their neighbourhood. It 

 was owing to this circumstance that our passage 

 was so much retarded. 



The most exact description, that I have any- 

 where met with, of these remarkable winds, is 

 written by Dampier, one of the most pleasing 

 and most faithful of voyagers ; and, as the pas- 

 sage is in a part of his works not generally read 

 except by professional men, I am tempted to in- 

 sert it. 



" These sea-breezes do commonly rise in the 

 morning about nine o'clock, sometimes sooner, 

 sometimes later ; they first approach the shore so 

 gently, as if they were afraid to come near 



