76 AVOYAGETO Book VIL 



which means the vapours which had been exhaling 

 during the whole day, after being carried by the 

 ftrongeil current of wind to a certain dillance, afcen- 

 ded to the region where the Brifas prevailed and be- 

 ing there repelled by them, had time to condenfe ; 

 for being within that region where the rain is form- 

 ed, or where many imperceptible drops cornpofe one 

 cf a larger magnitude and gravity, and being more 

 minutely divided by the influence of the fun they 

 continued to afcend, till that power ceafing by the 

 fetting of the fun, they again condenfed, and theiir 

 weight becoming too heavy to be fupporred in the 

 air, they defccnded in rain, which was the more 

 violent as the vapours were ftrongly repulfed by the 

 Briias. At the dawn, thefe v/inds as uaial, began 

 to decreafe, rmd the rain gradually leffened. l^he 

 fouth winds blew all day a? before ; and there being 

 then in the atmofphere, no other winds to oppofe 

 them, they carried with them the vapours as they 

 exhaled, and the atmoiphere continued clear and 

 ferene. 



This happened at Chocope, fituated at a much 

 greater dillancs from the parts to which the Brifas 

 extend than Tumbez, Piura, Sechura, and other 

 towns v/here this is more frequent, as being nearer 

 the equinoctial : notwithftanding, no Brifas or north- 

 v^inds are felt in that part of the atmofphere near the 

 furface of the earth. So that it is probable, or re- 

 ther, indeed, evident from experience, that the 

 north winds at the tune they prevail, more eafily 

 re .ch to the countries neareft the equino8:ial, than 

 to thofe at a greater diftance, though not fo as to be 

 felt in the atmofphere near the earth, but in a more 

 elevated region. Corifequently, it is natural for 

 rains to be more frequent in the former than in the 

 latter, where thefe winds very fcldom reach, whe- 

 ther in that part of ike atmofphere contiguous to 



