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the fouth eaft of Portorico ; the others in the illand of 
Guadaloupe and the Grande Terre. The mod fu- 
rious were thofe, which happened Auguft 25), 1738, 
and the 8th of September, 1740, of which I can 
fpeak to my own knowledge ; and perhaps it may 
not be difagreable to hear a defcription of them, 
which will lead me to my fyftem, or at lead; to fup- 
port my conjectures of the caufe of thefe fea-cur- 
rents. 
Hurricanes are forefeen by a calm, and a frequent 
drifting of breezes from all points 3 the fetting fun of 
a blood-red 3 little clouds moving with great rapidity 3 
the lea-birds, called frigates, and many other kinds, 
quit the air, and feek the fhore. By thefe figns, to- 
gether with the feafon, in which thefe happen, the 
hurricanes are expedted 3 proper precautions are then 
taken to avoid the fury of the winds ; the houfes are 
propped, the windows and doors are barred up, and 
papers and other valuable moveables are fecured in 
chefts. 
Soon after, a north breeze fprings up, which comes 
to the north-eaft, and from fouth to fouth-eaft 3 the 
air is darkened by one continued thick cloud, which 
increafes the horrors of the night 3 for it often hap- 
pens, that thefe tempefts come in the night, and con- 
tinue all the next day. In the laft hurricane, I law 
the wind flood at north- eaft,. and blew with fuch 
violence, that the largeft trees were torn up by the 
roots, their trunks broken to pieces 5 nor was there 
a leaf left upon thofe other trees, which yielded to 
the fury of the winds 3 the houfes were thrown down, 
and the tops of the lugar-mills, which are conical, and 
lefs fufceptible of being thrown down, were crufhed 
v to 
