27 
PREVAILING WINDS, AND RAIN. 
the inhabitants on the shore, it extends only a short 
distance over the ocean. The sea breeze sets in 
in the forenoon. These breezes are, however, 
from the circumscribed surface of land, which in 
comparison with the surrounding waters is exceed¬ 
ingly limited, more feeble and transient than those 
which prevail on the shores of the continents in 
the same latitude. 
Strong currents of air, resembling whirlwinds, 
occasionally sweep across the islands, and produce 
considerable devastations among the plantations 
and habitations of the people : tempests are some¬ 
times heavy and destructive, but the islands are 
never visited with those fearful hurricanes or 
tornadoes, that occur in the West Indies, or in the 
Indian and Chinese seas. In general, the winds 
are moderate, and peculiarly refreshing. 
The east, with its variations from north-east to 
south-east, being the regular trade-wind, is most 
prevalent, but is seldom unpleasantly violent. 
Winds from the north are often tempestuous, 
more so than from the south, yet, although during 
the season of variable winds, viz. from December 
to March, they are strong, and continue several 
days, they are not dangerous. The wind seldom 
prevails from the west, among the Society Islands, 
excepting in the months of December, January, 
and February. At this season, though the westerly 
winds are usually of short duration, they are often 
heavy and boisterous. The sky is dark and 
lowering, rain frequently falls in torrents, and the 
weather is remarkably unsettled. 
Rain is much more frequent in the Society than 
in the Sandwich Islands, during the whole of the 
year; but, except in the rainy season, it is seldom 
heavy or lasting: gentle showers fall 117 ring many 
