166 METEOROLOGICAL AND 
3. Effects of the Weather on the Barometer^ at the Cape 
of Good Hope. 
The next remarks I mean to trouble you with, are some 
observations upon the weather, with the effects which this 
has upon the Barometer, at the Cape of Good Hope. The 
barometer, from being more observed and better under- 
stood, has, of late years, added much to the safety of navi- 
gation. I can state for myself, that when I have got ac- 
quainted with the range of the barometer in any countryj 
it never has deceived me in its predictions. The utility, 
then, of ascertaining the range, and the way in which the 
different winds affect the barometer in different climates, 
becomes a matter of very high importance to the navigator, 
From remarks of this description, in a very short time a 
set of observations might be compiled for every port of the 
Avorld, to accompany the barometer: and such remarks 
would, in many cases, prove of consequence to the safety 
of a ship. 
The summer months, at the Cape, are counted from the 
middle of September to the middle of April. The prevail- 
ing winds during this time are from the south-east : this is 
always a dry wind here ; but a degree or two, at sea, to 
the westward of this, I never saw this wind unaccompanied 
with rain and damp weather. I did not observe the range 
of the barometer during the months of December, January, 
and February, to exceed .29 parts of an inch, ranging from 
30.14 to 29.85. During summer, when the barometer rises 
above 30 inches, with a SE. wind, it will always blow 
strong: when above 30 inches, with a westerly wind, it 
will be fine moderate weather. The rainy winds, at all 
seasons, arc, the NE., NW., and SW. : this last is often a 
^ry wind. 
