Gh.VI. south AMERICA. 75 



From what has been faid, it may be inferred, that 

 in a country or climate, where one and the fame 

 wind perpetually prevails, the|:e car) be po formal 

 rain ; and in order to form it, either the wind rnuft 

 entirely ceafe, or an oppofite wind muft arife, which 

 by checking thp courfe of the vapours, brings them 

 into contad with thofe lately exjialed from the earth, 

 and caufes them to condenfe> in proportion as they rife 

 by the attradlion of the fun, till being rendered hea- 

 vier than the air by which they were fupported, they 

 defcend in drops of water. 



On re-confidering the circumflances of what hap- 

 pened at Chocope, it will appear, that during the 

 whole day, the Iky was clear, and that it was not 

 before five in the evening that the rain began, and 

 with it the violence of the wind. It ftiould alfo be 

 pbferved that in the time of the Brifas in thofe cli- 

 mates where they are periodical, they blow ftrongeft 

 l^etween the fetting and rifing of fhe fun ; and this 

 happening in September and the following months, 

 fbrnis the fummer in Valles, when they enjoy clea;: 

 days and a lucid atmofphere. This was the cafe at 

 Chocope at the time of that rain for tho' the inha- 

 bitants did not precifely mention the feafon in which 

 that event happened, yet the feyeral particulars re- 

 lated, efpecially that the fouth winds then prevailed 

 with an uncommon force, fufficiently indicate that 

 it was in the fqmmer , as this would not haye been 

 ^t all remarkable in winter, when they are very va- 

 riable and fometimes ftormy. It may therefore be 

 fafely concluded that thefe events happened during 

 ihe fummer and, by way of corollary, that the Bri- 

 fas being ftronger than ufual, and advancing fo far on 

 the continent as even to reach the fouth winds, they 

 were overpowered by them, and (hifted their point ^ 

 but the fucceeding fouth winds rendering it impolTible 

 \o return in the fame place, they left their former re- 

 gion and blew in a current nearer the earth. By 

 ■ ' "' / ' " " , " which 



