1807.] 
ward bound convoy as far as the Anda- 
mans, when we hauled up for Madras, 
The winds, however, at this feafon were 
fo baiiling, that it was the 12th of April 
before we reached the port: thus, a pat> 
fage that with a fair wind we might have 
made in five days, took us thirty-five 
to perform, fo very precarious are voy- 
ages mn India, 
During the greater part of May, June, 
and July, there are no regular fea and 
land breezes at this part; the S. W. mon- 
foon then blowmg with fuch force, that 
the caufes which produce thofe alternate 
breezes are not futiicient to influence its 
general courfe; aud hence we have the 
hot land wind blowing all the twenty- 
four hours, but generally ttronger at that 
period when the breeze is accuftomed to 
blow from the fhore. The long tracts of 
flat fandy country, on many parts of the 
coat (Madras and Mafulipatam, for in- 
fiance), being heated by the fiercenefs of 
the fun’s rays at this feafon, communi- 
cate, of courfe, this heat to the breeze 
pailing over them, producing thofe hot 
land-winds, which continue to blow till 
the firength of the monfoon is fo far 
exhaufted that the natural caufes of fea 
and land breezes will again be able to 
operate and interrupt them. 
Thete winds often blow with confider- 
able violence at Madras; generally be- 
tween eleven and otte o’clock in the day, 
when they raife fuch clouds of duft that 
the houfes of the town and fort are com- 
pletely obf{cured ; and fo high is it car- 
ried into the air, that the decks of the 
{hips in the roads are frequently covered 
with fand, rendering this the moit dif- 
agreeable roadfted in the world at this 
period. . 
The natives fuffer very much during 
the hot wind, as it is very common to 
fee the palankeen-boys drop in the ftreets, 
liruck dead by its banetul effects! I 
Journal of a Voyage inthe Indian Seas. 
223 
have feen the fand and duft blown abeut 
here with fuch violence, that the bearers 
were obliged to let me down, and get 
under the lee of the palankeen to pre- 
vent their being fuffocated ! 
Thefe winds are apt to occafion con- 
traciions in the himbs, that are very dif- 
ficult to get clear of: but otherwife this 
is a healthy featon, for not a particle 
of moifture is now afloat’in the atmo- 
{phere. : 
The Europeans have a very ingenious, 
and indeed philofophical, method of 
guarding again{t thefe winds. It is this: 
along the weitern fronts of their houfes 
they have thin ftraw mats (called tattys) 
placed, fo as to cover the doors, win- 
dows, or other apertures ; fervants being 
ftationed to keep thefe conftantly wet 
with freth water, the hot wind, in palfing 
through, produces fuch an evaporation, 
that a great degree of cold or abftraction 
of heat takes place, and thus renders 
the air infide the mat quite cool. The 
family, therefore, fitting behind thefe 
mats enjoy a delheghtfal cool breeze, 
which at a few yards diftance is like the 
fiery breath iluiny out of an oven! but 
completely metamophorfed by this fim- — 
ple and beautiful chymical procefs. On 
the fame principle of producing cold by 
evaporation, gentlemen on board fhips, 
when they want a bottle of wine cooled 
‘quickly, put a couple of glaffes of ar- 
rack, or any other fpirit, into a plate, 
and jetting the bottle in the middle of 
it, keep bathing the fides of it with the 
{pirit by means of a fpoon, when ina 
few minutes the wine will become quite 
cold; the procefs is accelerated if it is 
performed in a current of air, under the - 
wind-fail for inftance. 
During this feafon, the thermometer 
in the thade at Madras, ranges from 81 
to 99. 
State of the Thermometer at Madras. 
1804. 7 A. M. 
July 41 81 
12 81 
13 81 
14 82 
15 83 
16 34 
17 85 
3 P.M. 
Noon. 8 P.M: 
33 89 85 
88 1079) 86 
91 92 86 
90 93 84 
91 O4. 86 
62 95 91 
O4 96 91 
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