A discourse concerning the origine and properties of vvind with an historicall account of hurricanes and other tempestuous winds / by R. Bohun ...

A discourse concerning the origine and properties of vvind with an historicall account of hurricanes and other tempestuous winds / by R. Bohun ...

Table of contents

Title page

THE PREFACE.

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A Prosecution of the former discourses, concerning Whirlewinds in generall: with an Historicall Account of the Tornados, Hurracanes, and other Tempestuous Winds.

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A DISCOURSE Concerning the ORIGINE AND PROPERTIES Of VVIND.

With An Historicall Account of Hurricanes, and other Tempestuous Winds.

By R. Bohun Fellow of New Coll: in OXON.

OXFORD, Printed by W. Hall for Tho. Bowman Anno Dom. 1671.

THE PREFACE.

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COnsidering the unsuccesfull Attempts of severall Authors who have adventur'd upon this difficult part of Meteorology, I was sufficiently discourag'd from exposing to publick view those Collections, which I had sometime made concerning the Causes and Properties of Winds. But afterward, by reason of my residence in a place principally concern'd in Naval Affairs (where I had frequent opportunities of conversing with the most experienc'd of our Sea-Captains) I began to compare the observations of their Voyages, with the [Page] writings of the most celebrated of the Ancient, and Modern Philosophers; which I judg'd the only expedient to arrive at a more perfect History of Winds. I have omitted nothing remarkable which was taken notice of by Aristotle, whose Sagacity in these enquiries was the greatest that the Grecian World could boast of: But the succeeding Ages, which with their nice Speculations endeavour'd rather to amuse, then satisfy the minds of men, made little Progresse in the History of Nature; till our Voyages to the East and West-Indies, and the great encrease of Navigation for these Hundred years last past, furnisht us with so many new discoveries, and improvements in all Natural knowledge (especially, in what relates to the Motions of the Winds and Seas) [Page] that we are every day forc'd to regret the insufficiency of those Theories which we receiv'd from the Schools of the Ancients; since the Course of the Generall or Trade-Wind, the Indian Monzoons, the severall sorts of Brises in the African, and American Climates (which are certainly the most considerable Phaenomena that belong to an exact Treatise of Winds) were as remote from the knowledge of their most inquisitive Naturallists, as the places where they happen, from Athens or Rome.

I must confesse the incomparable Ld Verulam has given us much light, in his Discourse on this Argument, though he seems to have been little Curious in the Collections of Forreign Parts; without which, we must still have remain'd ignorant of [Page] the largest Portion of the Universe: But I can boast of little assistance from others, more then some Historicall observations of the Trade-Winds and Hurricanes taken from the learned De Motu Moris & Ventorum. Isaac Vossius, which I made use of, as finding them most agreable to the Relations of our Sea-Voyages, and beleiving them Generally true. I must likewise acknowledge my obligations to the Honourable Mr. Boyle, for his advice upon severall occasions, particularly, in the experiment mention'd pag. 134, concerning the Qualities of Winds.

I have indifferently made use of either the Peripatetique or Epicurean Principles, as they serv'd best for the Explication of the present Phaenomenon: For though at this day, some with the greatest applause embrace the [Page] Cartesian and Atomicall Hypotheses, yet what are the Atomicall, or Corpuscularian Placits, but Democritus or Epicurus in another Dresse, which we call the New Philosophy; not that it was Invented, but only Reviv'd, and Vindicated by the Moderns, from the Injuries and oppression of Time.

I have in the following Discourse offer'd at a fuller Account both of the Regular, and Tempestuous Winds, the Land & Sea-Brizes, and severall other particulars which most writers had past by in silence: And though, as to the Historicall part or Matters of Fact, I may have committed some errours; this must not altogether be imputed to my credulitye, but the great Diversitie of Relations, and innumerable Accidents, which alter the mostconstant [Page] motions of the Currents and Winds. I have known some Masters of Ships, who missed of the Monsoons at the usuall seasons of the year in their return from the Indies: and I have sometimes met with different Accounts of the Harmetan Winds, and the Tornados on the Coasts of Guiny: nor shall I undertake that every ship which has Crost the Line, met with the Trade-Wind in the same Degree of Latitude: I have therefore describ'd them as they generally happen, and though there may be some Variation, yet, for the most part, they very Regularly depend on the course of the Sun. I may thus farre assure the Reader, that I have manag'd this Affair with all imaginable Caution, and seldome made use of any Account, but when severall Relations did agree in the same particulars, [Page] or when I found the persons of the most unsuspected integrity, and which had no interest to deceive. Then it was my ultimate Design to make the most advantageous use of these enquiries, as they might conduce to any improvement in Philosophie: Albeit I may possibly be obnoxious to Censure, for diverse Philosophicall reflexions, which I have occasionally made in the following Discourses: Though I have for the most part rather Alluded to Severall, then Adherd to any One Hypothesis. Yet since all Disquisitions of this kind are but Conjectural, and no exact Demonstration to be expected in Physiologicall Sciences, I might challenge the freedome of my own thoughts, reserving for others the same Libertie, to abound in their own sense, and to interpret Nature as they please.

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The Contents.

THe Placits of the Ancients and their severall Definitions of Wind. pag. 6.

The Opinion of De Cartes, and other Modern Naturallists. 7. 8.

Wind no more then a Motion, or Protrutrusion of the Air. 7.

That there are Severall Origines of Wind: First, they are generated in the Lower Region, by the Dilatation of Vapours or Air: p. 12. By the Repletion, or Superoneration of the Atmosphere. p. 16. From Pressure of Clouds, or the Elasticall Vertue of the Air, &c. 20.

The 2d Locall Origine of Winds in Generall from the Earth or Seas, as from Submarine or Subterraneall Eruptions. 23.

By the Rarefaction of Liquids, prov'd from the Experiment of the Aeolipile. 24.

Historicall instances of Winds breaking from under the Earth or Sea. 27. 33.

Of the Mascarets in the River of Dordogn, and the suddain tumours in the Lake of Geneva. 34.

The 3d Generall Cause of Wind, by Descension [Page] from the Middle Region; both from Vapours before, and after their Coalition into Clouds. 27. 39.

Their Ingenit Gravity the cause of their descent. 40. Not their Repulse from the Antiperistasis of Contraries. 39.

The Reason why some Winds blow with greater violence, and impetuosity then others. 45.

The Formall Cause of Winds. 46.

The Opinions of Aristotle, Theophrastus, &c. with the Latine Interpreters. 47. 48.

Some other conjectures concerning the Causes of their Oblique Motion. 40. 50. &c.

The Undulating and Reflex Motions of Wind. 50. 51.

The Matter of Winds: an Explication of Aristotle's Opinion. 58.

Their Limits and Extent. 63.

The most Flatulent Seasons: why they blow more in Spring and Autumn, then at other times. 65.

The Severall Species of Winds. 67.

An Historicall Account of the Generall, or Trade Wind. 68. 69. &c.

[Page] The Causes why it blows Constantly from the Easterly points, and imitates the Course of the Sun. 71.

Where to be expected on this side the Tropique. 78.

The Variation thereof in severall Longitudes. 79.

Why the Westerly Winds blow most commonly without the Tropiques. 86.

The Provinciall Winds. 90.

A discourse concerning the Terrheinos and Viracoins; or the Land and Sea-Brises. 92.

Their History and Cause. 93. &c.

When they come in, or cease, in the Straights, on the Coasts of Guiny, & the East and West-Indies; and what Accidents hasten or retard their approach. from p. 99. to 110.

Of the Etesian, or Anniversary Winds: their severall species. 111. 112. &c.

Of the Anniversary Winds in the way to the East-Indies, which they call the Monsoons. 119.

How many months they continue the same Course on the Coasts of Africk, and India. 121.

[Page] The Changing or Breaking up of the Monsoons. 122.

A Discourse concerning the Qualities of Wind p.131. deriv'd from their Constituent Parts, or the Medium through which they passe. 131.

Some Tryalls for the Explication of this Phaenomenon. 133. 134. &c.

The Great incertainty of these observations, and the diversities of their Qualities in severall Climates. 138.

The Properties of Easterly Winds: Vnwholesome in most parts of Europe, and yet in America very agreeable and pleasant. 141.

Of the South Winds. 142.

Why they magnify Visible objects, and cause a stammering in the speech. 147.

Of the Westerly Winds; their exceeding violence in the Isle of Jersy, and Coast of Cornwall. 150.

Of the North Winds, their wonderfull impetuosity in Norwey and Island. 161.

The great Caution to be us'd, and what Circumstances are to be consider'd in judging the Qualities of Winds. 172. 173.

The causes of Hot Winds. 174. 175.

[Page] The Extremity of their Heat toward the Persian Gulf, and severall instances of other Scorching Winds in Afric, and Arabia, where they blow off from the Sands. 178. 179.

The causes of Cold Winds. 181. 182.

The Sea-Winds in the Temperate Zones hotter then those which blow over the Land. 187.

Instances of this Nature, in Great Britain, the Isle of Jersy, Virginia, Florida, and several other places. 188. 189. &c.

Yet in the Torrid Zone, the Sea-Brises cooling, and pleasant; examples thereof in America. 191.

Some Unusuall Qualities of Wind. 194.

Of the Harmetans in Guiny. 195. 196.

The Virulent and Destructive Qualities of certain Winds in the West-Indies. 201.

Some Proposals, for a more Accurate Discovery of the Nature, and Qualities of Winds: in relation to Architecture,Navigation, and severall Trades, and Mechanicall Arts from 209. to 222.

Diverse Prognostiques of Wind. 223.

Of Whirlwinds in Generall. 229.

[Page] Their severall species. 231.

Concerning the Tornados: a Description of their Nature. 236. 237.

How many degrees they are to be expected on this side the Aequinoctiall, and at what time of the year. 246.

Most towards the Coasts of Guiny. 247.

The Tempests near the Cape Bon Esperance. 245.

The Cause of the Tornados. 249.

The Presters or Fiery Whirlwinds: Examples thereof. 251. 254.

Hurricanes: Some conjectures concerning their cause. 257.

The Places where they happen. 265. 266.

Their Prognostiques, and Description in diverse Historicall Relations. from 269. to 292. &c.

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THe Origines of Winds are no lesse Various then their Motions, & we ought not to determine positively concerning those Appearances in nature, which may be rationally explicated severall ways.

Though we consult the Placits of the learned Ancients, & consider also what we owe to the improvements of latter times, yet I question whether any Theory was ever yet started on this Argument, which will adequately resolve the whole Phaenomenon of VVinds; and we must never expect to confine their Originall to any one determinate Cause.

Most of the Graecian Philosophers agreed in the same Definition of [Page] Wind; till the Prince of the Peripatetiques was not only ambitious to establish a New Hypothesis of his own, but likewise undertook the confutation of his Master Plato, & the rest of his Predecessors: The Philosophicall Monarch thought he could never raign securely in the minds of men, unlesse, like the Family of the Ottomans, he destroy'd all his Bretheren first.

I have no intention to disparage the Authority of the Ancients; but I cannot be so injurious to the many noble productions of our present Age, to think that all Science is only to be sought for in the Urns of the Dead: we have a more intimate converse with Nature then heretofore, which displays her beautifull Bosome, and every day affords new Discoveries of usefull knowledge, [Page] and further conducing to the Benefit of Human life.

If we consider the successe that Philosophy has met with in the VVorld, we shall find that those Opinions, which obtain'd most in one Age, had their Fatall Periods, & were as much exploded & decry'd in the next; & it's as impossible that any one Hypothesis should be calculated to the Gusto of all persons when the sentiments of men are different as their complexions: I have therefore taken a larger compasse then the Generallity of writers, and deriv'd the Origines of Winds from severall Causes; which I rather endeavour to prove from Accounts of our Sea-Voyages, and relations of Matters of Fact, then to refine on them by any nice speculations of my own. For this Philosophy [Page] is not to be had in Colleges or Books, but must be fetch't frō both Indies; we must traverse the wide Seas, & be tost to as many points of the Compasse, as Columbus or Drake; we must climb into the Regions of the Air, & descend into the Caverns of the Earth, to detect the innumerable Causes & Qualities of VVinds: They are diffus'd like the Universall mind, and it requires a kind of ubiquity to understand them. How small a portion is it of the vast system of the World, that we inhabit, and how much lesse of it that we comprehend? How Extravagant are the Phaenomena of the large American tracts; their Tydes, VVinds, and other Aeriall impressions, how different and irreconcileable to Ours? How many noble discoverys have been made [Page] in these Countries, which the Athenian Sages could never think of in their narrow Porches & Gardens: They might spin fine webs out of their own bowels; but for want of a closer inspection into Nature, their Texture & Materials are slight. And we must acknowledge that even the Stagirite himself has left us no very perfect Theory of VVinds, though this Province of late years, has been more succesfully undertaken by the Lord Verulam, Galileo, De Cartes, and other illustrious Moderns.

Aristotle constitutes two species of Exhalations; the one vapid or moist; the other [ [...]] Fumid or Terrene: and as the first is employ'd in Rain, Hail, or Snow, &c. So the other furnishes materials for Winds, &c.

The Ancients understand no [Page] more by wind, then a Motion of the Air: Anaximander in Plutarch styles it, [...]: and some others, [...]: to which that of Seneca may allude; Ventus est Aer Fluens. But neither the Prince of the Peripatetics Nat. Quest. lib. 5. cap. 1. ever supposed them to consist of Earth (though it was always to be most predominant) nor the Ancients, of Air alone, without some allay of other Heterogeneous Elements.

In the 23. Section of his Problems, Aristotle himself denominates Wind, [...], Aeris impulsum: yet in the 2d book of Meteors, he seems rather to reflect this opinion on his predecessors, declaring; [...], &c. cap. 4. So that Aristotle allows not the simple [Page] agitation of Air to be reputed VVind; wherein he dissents from the Stoics, who held it only Motum aut Fluxionem Aeris: And there have not been wanting the most eminent moderns who embrac'd their sentiments, as Gassendus, Beregard, Dorisi, &c. Mr. Hobs defines it, Air mov'd in a direct, or undulating motion: and to this purpose the learned Isaac Vossius Le Vent est un Movement & Agitation de l' Air, causè par des Exhalaisons & Vapeurs. Hydr. L. 15. C. 23. Fournier, Varenius, & many others.

The modern Peripatetics generally agree in an Hot and Dry exhalation, repuls't by the Antiperistasis of the middle Region; though I find no footsteps of any such opinion in the Text of Aristotle.

VVind, in the most Generall Acceptation, is, any Sensible Motion of the Air: By Air, the Vulgar [Page] understand almost any invisible Matter, whether Rarify'd vapours or Water; though it consists of much grosser parts then that which is employ'd in respiration.

De Cartes computes, that Rarify'd Air requires only thrice, but Dilated vapours no lesse then 3000 times as much space, as before their expansion: wherefore in the Generation of VVinds, he preferrs them before Fumid Exhalations or Air; as in his Definition: pag. 153. Venti nihil sunt, nisi Moti & Dilatati Vapores.

It seems to me lesse probable (whether we reflect on the opinion of Aristotle, or Cartesius) that Winds should be always made up of Heterogeneous Exhalations distinct from the Body of the Air; For certainly, they are sometimes no more then Streams or Currents of [Page] Air it self, shifting from one part of the Atmosphere to another. So that the Air, while it continu'd placid and calme, may be compar'd to a Pond or Lake; and when it's violently agitated and mov'd, it resembles a Torrent or River.

I have already declar'd, that no one Hypothesis, how comprehensive soever, hath yet been able to resolve all the Incident Phaenomena: so various are their Efficients, and the Matter of which they consist. I shall therefore comprise the Locall Origines of VVind under 3 Generall Heads.

1. They are generated in the Intermediate space between the Earth and Clouds; and that either by Rarefaction, or Repletion; and sometimes happily by the Pressure of Clouds, Elasticall Vertue of the Air, &c.

[Page] 2ly From the Earth, or Seas; as by Submarine or Subterraneall Eruptions.

3ly By Descension or Resilition, from the Middle Region; But I shall explain my self, how I desire to be understood of all these in the Following Discourses; and then descend to the Matter of which they are Form'd, their Limits, and Qualities, &c.

My Lord Bacon complains, that the first species has been too much neglected by most writers; while some seek for them in the Clouds, and others in the Caverns of the Earth, when as they are more frequently generated in the Intermediate Space, which they call the Lower Region of the Atmosphere.

The Universall Efficient of this [Page] sort is the aliquando Sol ipse causa est Venti, fundens rigentem Aerem, & ex denso, Coactoque explicans. Sen. Nat. Q. lib. 5. cap. 5. Sun; the matter, Air, or whatever: Vapourous Effluxions from the Earth.

Now imagine those Vapours, or Fumes, that are continually hovering in this Lower Region, (which being dilated, will possesse so many hundred times more space then they did before the expansion) to be attacq't by the quick and Penetrating beams of the Sun, what a tumult, and mutiny must this necessarily cause in the Atmosphere? When all places were full before, at least the Voids no way Proportionable to the dilatation; whither must the ejected particles retire? the spaces they should possesse, are overstock't already, they must be forc'd to send out Colonies [Page] to other parts; where equivalent compressions and condensations are made; where the spaces lye wast, and in a manner destitute of Inhabitants: But what Seditions, Eddies, & Undulations must this cause in the whole body of the Air? How will the Atmosphere fluctuate, and be harrast to and fro, and (as it were) curled with waves? the Rarify'd vapours still flying to seek new habitations, and so doe impell, and bear along with them all they encounter in the way; some condens'd bodys deserting their Seats, and others as farr Expanded, hasting to take possession; that there can be no tranquillity, or rest, 'till the influences of the Sun cease, or the vapours be exhausted: And what is all this Strugling and Commotion of the Air, but Wind?

[Page] For either the Dilatation of the former, or too great an Accession of New matter, will inchoate the collaterall agitation of VVinds; as the Lord Verulam experimented from a crosse of Plumes, in a Turret closely shut up; when meanes were us'd by the evaporation of water, to overstock the space; and afterwards by Fire, to thinne & rarify the vapours; the Plumes began to tremble by degrees, and at last the motion grew rapid, Instar turbinis: the Water affording multitudes of vaporous steams, & the Fire resolving them into VVind.

It likewise appear'd from another of the In turri undi (que) clausâ foculum cum prunis ignitis, in medio locavimus: post parvam moram aucto calore, & Dilatato Aere, agitabatur crux plumea hinc inde, motu vario, &c. Verulamian Experiments, that Air of it self, when other vapours are wanting, will be [Page] sufficiently Agitated by Rarefaction: For though without some other Auxiliary Exhalations, Air alone might seeme able to create but a very feoble and languid VVind; yet when it's dilated into at least 60 times the extent it posses'd before the Expansion, it must needs by this means crow'd and superonerate the former Spaces, and so cause a considerable emotion of the Atmosphere; So that, if there be much Superfluous Matter, and the Protrusion violent, it causes storms and Tempestuous VVinds; if it be lesse, then are only Engendred those mild & refreshing Airs, such as use to come off from the Banks of Rivers and Ponds at Day-break.

De Cartes will scarce admit, that [Page] Dilated Air exceeds above a quadruple proportion; yet Mr. Boyl's Experiments concerning the Rarefaction of the Air. a person not lesse sagacious in the contemplation of Nature, has prov'd in a late discourse, that Air, without Heat, will be dilated to 13000 times the former extent, though with it Mersennus never arriv'd to an 100: And questionlesse in the Atmosphere, without the assistence of Art, we may suppose it Rarefiable by the Heat of the Sun, to incomparably larger Dimensions then De Cartes allows it; at least sufficient to create very impetuous VVinds, which may be occasion'd from any extraordinary expansion of the Air: as we usually observe, that in great conflagrations it blows manifestly fresher thereabout, [Page] then it did before, & the people of Gascoigny (at that time subjects to the Crown of England) are said to have petition'd the King against the burning of Heath in Sussex, & Hampshire, which afterwards rais'd a VVind, very pernicious to their Vines.

Another cause which generates Wind, is the Superoneration of the Atmosphere. Democritus & other Ancient Atomists, supposing, if there were too many particles of matter crowded in little Space, they must necessarily justle, and arietate each other, thought VVinds to be nothing else, but the Strugling or Agitation of Atoms: On the contrary, if there chance to be few Atoms in much space, so that there be no Pressure, or Coarctation in a free & [Page] spacious heaven, this (they say) begets tranquillity and a serene Temperature of the Heavens.

Lastly, beside this Superoneration, these Flatulent Emotions may proceed from any other Cause which alters the Aequilibrium of the Atmosphere; So that it will be sufficient to generate Winds, if the Air be only denser in one part then another, by the unequall distribution of vapours; Therefore we have commonly a gentle Brise breathing off from Ponds or Lakes, where the Cold more especially condenses the Air, at least the Vapours arise in greater plenty from Humid Bodies. Thus we sometimes see a larger collection of clouds in one Quarter, which being afterwards discharg'd in showrs, there oftentimes follows a wind from the immediate conflux [Page] of the vapours to that place.

For the Currents of Air imitate the Motions of water, and by the just laws of Hydrostatiques, according to their respective gravity, mount higher or descend: so that there is a perpetuall inquietude, till it come to an exact Aequilibrium; and what cause soever it be, which varys the Counterpoise of the Atmosphere, must needs occasion Winds.

The 2d cause which produces these Intermediate Winds, is Compression: when two, or more Clouds impetuously pressing or falling upon each other, drive out a VVind from between them.

The Purest & most Aetheriall matter is not without some degree of Gravitation; though we want [Page] Instruments to make such nice discoverys in Nature: However, the Gosser Vapors, & Air which inhabite the Middle Region, gravitate more sensibly; of which wee can be able to give some Account by our Barometers: when the Quick silver rises higher, or subsides in the Tube.

VVinds may be thus generated from Pressure alone.

Suppose D. H. in the following Figure, to be the Incumbent Vapors, or Clouds.

F the superficies of the Earth, Sea, or another subjacent Cloud.

G the Motion, or streame of Air, expeld from between them. If the Pressure be not directly downwards, but sloping, as from K to L; and there be resisted by [Page] some crosse winds, or denser Part of the Atmosphere: it often reverts to M, or O, and so generates Whirlwinds and Tornados. Sometimes you shall have a suddain Puffe of wind, driven from between two Clouds, with a violent Displosion of the Air; that descends almost Perpendicularly to the Earth.

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[Page] Wee have a lively resemblance of this in Common Bellows; when the Sides closing compresse the included Air; & force it to issue out impetuously at the Nose, or Pipe.

I have oftentimes observ'd, that Stiffe Gusts of Wind happen immediately before Rain; because the Clouds being overcharg'd and teeming with showers, presse more then at other times; and when the Atmosphere begins to thicken, and grow Ponderous, over our heads; wee seldom fail of a VVind, some small distance from thence; which likewise ceases when the showre is fallen.

Moreover the Elasticity of the Air; which the Peripateticks make little regard of: And those Ingenious Moderns who have demonstrated [Page] it's Elasticall force, from many noble experiments; yet never apply'd it Particularly to this Phaenomenon of VVinds, though it prove oftentimes the most Immediate cause of their production. For the Air, whether from the gravity of Incumbent Vapors and Clouds, superfluity of matter, or however straiten'd, and oppres'd, do's as soon expand it self, (like a fleece of Wool after the compression) till it arrive at the former Dimensions again; And being Dilated, Explicated, and as it were Unbent, must needs agitate, and propell the contiguous bodys, that reduc'd it to such straits before: as we see the Elasticall power of it in VVindguns; how impatient it is of restraint, and willing to regain it's [Page] liberty, when the first opportunity is offer'd; How easily susceptible of the least impressions; as appears from the Propagation of Sounds; when the noise of Bells, or Canon is heard; that is to say, they shake the Air, for many miles in almost an imperceptible time: And the Elastical reciprocations of the Atmosphere (by whatever species of coarctation the Aerial spring is bent) though they are not obvious to our senses, yet are both consonant to reason, and agreable to the actings of Nature in such cases: And if this strugling or Emotion of the Air necessarily results from it's Elasticity, or Repletion; This mov'd or agitated Air, is Wind; Ventus enim est, ubi fit agitando percitus Aer, Lucret.

[Page] A 2d Locall origine of winds in generall, is from the Earth or Seas: either by resolution of their Superficiall parts; or from Submarine, or Subterraneall eruptions. The Terrheinos, or Land Brises between the Tropics, which last from the first approaches of Night, till Morning, consist for the most part of terrestrial Fumes, perspiring from no greater depth, then the Solar rays did before penetrate: And those which alternately blow in the day time, are the Ofsprings of the Sea, when the Celestial warmth attenuates the liquid Surface into Winds. For Humid bodys are soon agitated, and Volatilis'd by heat; as might appeare from that Vulgar, but very considerable Experiment, of the Aeolipile; [Page] by which the strang Sagacity of Art do's so clearly interpret to us the operations of Nature; that wee may without difficulty conceive, the most forcible emotions of Wind to be generated from the Rarefaction of water.

Suppose A, B, G, the Figure of the Vessell, which you may fill with water to H: then, setting it on the Fire, the water, when thoroughly heated, will be Rarify'd into Wind: and Issue out through the Neck K, with great violence.

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[Page] Some have us'd them instead of Bellows, and contriv'd Pneumatiek Inventions of this Nature to blow the Fire: Others have made them large enough, to turn the Wheels of spits; For the force of the Wind will be greater, or lesse, Proportionably to the bigness of the Vessel.

Thus we may Imagine the Atmosphere to be as one Immense Aeolipile, continually dilating the Vapors, and Air; and the Sun likewise to exhale many flatulent steams, out of the Marshes, and Lakes, especially from the Sea, (which is the most Universall Parent, not only of Fountains and Rivers, but Winds) And though the subtlety of Nature will still exceed the most Accurate Researches of Human wit, yet wee have little [Page] more to enquire concerning the Naturall; then may be advantageously Explicated from the Artificiall Winds.

Nor doe they only exhale from the Superficies; but emerge sometimes from the Gulfs of the Ocean, and Profoundest Caverns of the Earth. The Earth is the first Mother of Meteors; and contains the Principles of them all in her Fruitfull Womb: In these Subterraneall Kingdomes are the Spirits, Minerals, and juyces, that afterwards raise Storms by Sea; Winds, and Thunders, in the Air; and Earthquakes under Ground: Those that have been conversant in Colepits, and Mines, will frequently predict Tempests, from their Damps; the burning blew of their candles; [Page] and other infallible signes. From hence these Subterraneall Storms break prison, to disturbe the peace of the Atmosphere, and raise mutinyes, and commotions in the whole body of the Air. My Lord Bacon mentions a rocky, and Mountainous place in Wales, calld Aber Barry, which had many Caverns, and recesses under ground; where is heard a continuall noise of Winds, that resound, and tumultuate within: And in another place of Denbigh shire, there are so vehement eruptions of Wind, out of some cavityes, and spiracles of the Earth, that repell, cloths and other injected bodyes, and for a great way together dally, and play with them in the Air. But among innumerable Examples, I could produce [Page] of this Nature, one out of the Philosophicall Transactions quadrates exactly to our purpose. Numb. 26. pag. 481. anno 1667. It was then given in to the Royall Society; as the result of twenty yeers experience, from a Person well vers'd in Minerall affaires. He affirm'd: If in digging under ground, the workmen meet with Water, they never want Air, or Wind: But if they misse it: they are destitute of convenient Air, either to breath in, or make their Candles burn: Sometimes there bappens to be a great quantity of Winters standing Water in their Mines; but as soon as the levell is made, and any part of the Water begins to run away, the men must secure themselves as well as they can: For the included Air, or Wind breaks forth with violence,[Page]to carry all before it.

They have Burning Mountains in China that are said to raise Tempests: The same Accounts wee have of the Grottos in Calabria, Sicily, and many places about the Alps. And I think it not lesse considerable, what the learned Meteor. p. 67. Peter Gassendus assures us of a Mountaine in Provence, which had a Visto thorough it (like Pausilyponeer Naples) from whence a Northerly Wind on one side, and a Southerly on the other, have been observ'd to break forth at the same time. I have heard that in Cornwall, they have so sure Prognosticks of Storms at Sea, from their Mines, that the Fishermen never Presume to tarry out, when the signal is given, by the [Page] Eruption of certain Meteors, which immediately Presage a Tempest. There are almost as many instanof this kind, as wee find Cranies or receptacles of Air under ground: Questionlesse these Cavernous retreats are very often the Locall origin's of Wind (where the Poets faign the Kingdome of Aeolus) not Unphilosophically alluding to the mode of their Production. Winds that are generated in the Cloysters of the Earth are for the generality, made up of Waters dilated by the Subterraneall Fires: Kircher, among many other Romantick Suggestions on this Argument, adds, that colliquated Snows, and Raine sinking into the ground, doe sometimes expell, and force out the Winds and Air.

[Page] Yet not only Water, but most bodys will be mov'd, and Volatilis'd by Heat: Especially the Nitrosulphureous, and other Minerall or Metallic Concretes, that are easily resolvible into Fumes; either by Rarefaction from some Intestine Vulcano; or by that glowing and Potentiall Heat, which is no where wanting in the bowels of the Earth.

If you mingle together Nitre, Sal Armoniac, crude Antimony; &c. and macerating them all in salt Water, set the vessel over the Fire: the Fumes will issue out much after the manner of our Aeolipiles: which shows what may be likewise effected, when the same causes concurre in the Subterraneall World.

Some also haue conjectur'd that [Page] Winds oftentimes break from under the Ocean: because the waves are observ'd to rise, and gently to curle, and furrow the Seas on that side, whence it is next to blow.

Or if the included spirit be in greater plenty; it sometimes dashes the waves against the rocks, with so great violence, that the noise may be heard in some places, no lesse then 8 or 10 leagues.

I am credibly inform'd, that in St. Owens Bay, belonging to the Isle of Jersey, the Sea is often strangly disturb'd before the Western storms, even when the Air is very calme: and though no Wind be stirring, yet the roaring of the waves may be heard, not only over the whole Isle, but into France, about 30 miles distance; which is the certain [Page] Prognostique of an ensuing tempest. And those suddain tumors, which happen in the rivers of Garonne or Dourdongn, neer Bourdeaux, seem to be the effects of intestine winds, swelling them into ridges, & mountains of water, which they call Mascarets; & are so terrible to them that sayl in the river, that when they perceive them coming the people cry out; Garde le Mascaret, Garde le Mascaret: and then the watermen immediatly make to the shoare to save their lives; for it inevitably threatens the overturning their boats. It happens only in Summer and in the greatest tranquillity of the Air; but is often follow'd by wind. Something like these Mascarets, though from a different cause, are the suddain [Page] turgences of the river Severn, which they call'd Higram. Scaliger in his Exercit. speaks of a Sea towards the Gulfe of Lions, which is frequently so raging, when there is no sensible Wind to irritate it; that the Adjacent Countrys might justly fear a deluge: the waves seeming to rise above the shoars. In like manner the Italian Benacus, or Lago de Garda, and more especially that neer Geneva, is oftentimes troubled in the calmest days: which is questionless nothing but an Included Spirit or Wind: though the inhabitants ignorantly impute it to witch-craft.

This Sub-marine Tempest, is by some called Procella Caeca; and by the Portugals, La Manca; when they see it break out in a Cloud or Mist, from under the VVater.

[Page] I supersede many remarks from our Sea voyages; and some others out of Beregard, and Kircher, and shall instance only in two: The one recited by Fromundus, from the testimony of the Learned Fienus, who in a calme and serene day, diverting himself on the Belgique shoare, perceived a dense mist suddainly to rise from the Ocean, which though very inconsiderable in the begining, he saw it encrease, and diffuse it self by degrees, till it covered the face of the Heaven, and ended in a most Dreadfull tempest at last: and what can be more Admirable in the whole history of Nature, then that so small a Vapo'r should fill the spacious Atmosphere, swell the Seas into Mountains, and mingle all things with horro'r and night?

[Page] The other is set down by Mr. Boyle, (to whom the learned world is so much obliged for his curiosity in all Naturall inquiries) and I shall insert it from the pen of the Honourable Author. Some years since, neer the strong fortress of Duncannon, where divers of the ships Royall of England lying at Anchor, in a place where they apprehended no danger from the Wind: there seemed suddainly to ascend out of the water, not farr from them, a black Cloud, in shape and bigness not much unlike a barrell: which was, not long after, followed (as the most experienc'd Pilot foretold) by so hideous a storme, as forc'd those shipps to goe to Sea again; and had like to have cast them away: and this account was written by the principall Officers to their Superiors in England, [Page] &c. We can by no means distrust the matter of fact, which had almost as many witnesses to confirme it, as there were men in the Navall Army: and we are sufficiently informed from this memorable event, how farr the Sub marine eruptions may be concern'd in the production of stormy winds.

I proceed to the 3d Generall Cause which is their Descension or Repercussion from the middle Region of the Air.

This opinion seems most a justed to the vulgar hypothesis, though the Prince of the Schooles rather ascribes the oblique progression of Winds, to the Rapidity and Circumgyration of the Heavenly Motions: which he expressely asserts in the second book of his Meteors. [...] [Page] [...], &c. That their motion is impres'd from above, &c.

Yet Alexander Aphrod. urges against the sense of Aristotle, that upon this supposition, the whole current of Air would always be carried from East to VVest, by the diurnall revolution of the Primum mobile; and so the VVinds could never chang to any other point of the Compass; with many insupportable difficulties, which put the Moderns upon new methods of resolving the Phaenomenon.

The Peripatetiques, though by no encouragement from the Text of Aristotle, hold that the Repulse or Antiperistasis, which the hot and dry exhalations meet with by rancountring the cold Clouds, causeth their resilition downwards, and impresses [Page] that oblique motion on the VVinds.

But the most learned of our present age have so little regard, for the doctrine of Antiperistasis, as it's usually maintain'd in the Schooles; that they endeavour to explicate this, and all other appearances in Nature without it; and the Lord Verulam himself being averse to this Caprice of the Scholastic Doctors, declares the Repercussion of Winds, from the cold of the Middle Region, to be of all other the vainest and most Irrationall Hypothesis.

However I deny not but Winds are frequently generated in the 2d Region of the Air, sometimes from vapor's before, and otherwhile after their coalition into Clouds: [Page] The Prognostics of these, is a trembling, and murmur of the woods; the shooting of Starrs; Halos about the Moon: All which indicate a repletion of the Atmosphere with exhalations, that afterwards descend and are converted into Wind: yet the cause of their relapse to the Earth, is, no repercussion from that Imaginary Antiperistasis, but the Ingenit gravity of the vapors themselvs; at least the pressure and detrusion of the superincumbent Air; which I suppose to ly in severall fleeces, or storys one above another, and presse down the inferior; that when the VVinds chance to gravitate comparatively more then the vapors neer the surface of the Earth, they, to preserve the just Counterpoise of the Atmosphere, [Page] must necessarily descend of their own accord.

The gravity of Air (especially Wind which is a body farre more Heterogeneous and impure) can be no paradox to the learned of our times; since the many noble disquisitions about the pressure and weight of the Atmosphere, made by Mr. Boyl, and other curious Persons.

Our Sea-men commonly observe it to blow from that quarter, where they see one or more Clouds gather above the Horizon: Either that they presse more then at other times, or because the matter of which they consist is afterwards dissolvible into VVinds.

Those Clouds, from the rupture and dissolution of which wee are to expect suddain gusts, hang more [Page] loose and floating, being commonly of a brighter colour, and neither so dense or opacous as the other which are pregnant with showres.

It appears from the precedent discourses, that VVinds do not only emerge from the Aeolian Caues; but have a much sublimer origine in the Kingdom of Meteors, being generated both in the Lower and Middle Regions; at least consist of the gross Air, and vapors, that are driven from thence: and though after their relapse to the earth, they are indifferently dispos'd to what ever species of Agitation, yet generally they begin their march towards that quarter, whither the most Violent Impulse is made; at least where they find the medium more yeilding, and fittest to propagate [Page] their motions. As sometimes the Atmosphere is thinnest towards the South, which begets a North-Wind: other while in the West, and then the protrusion is likewise made Westward: Or if the whole current bend with too great violence towards one point; it oftentimes recoyls back again, and begets a quite contrary Wind to the former. Thus wee often observe, that when one Wind ceases, the Opposite begins; & the Atmosphere, which in many things bears a great resemblance to liquids, has these kind of fluxes & refluxes like the Rivers and Seas: For Air is a body so fluid, and tractable, so easily susceptible of them, and long retentive of the least impressions; that if it once be set a going, it as a kind of perpetuall Automat, [Page] continues the motion, is drawn into consort with the vapors, and it selfe converted into VVind. If we make a further enquiry into the cause of their motions, we shall find they proceed likewise according to the disposition of the Aliment; and those which have no durable Fonds, dwindle away and are soon exhausted in their course: sometimes they condense into Clouds; and otherwhile, being too much attenuated and refind, they vanish and dissipate in the Air.

Those VVinds which are neerest their Locall Origines, blow hardest: especially such as are reinforc't by other auxiliary Vapors as they passe. Acosta observed they were always most turbulent neer the shoars and promontories of the [Page] Indies: because the flatulent steams were then more impetuous neer their rise; which afterwards became languishing, and broken by a long passage in the Ocean. So that there are severall accidents which may occasion the greater rage and impetuosity of VVinds; As first, the Plenty of Matter which constitutes them: secondly, the Rarity of the Medium that affords no considerable obstacles to stop their career. Orlastly, because the Protrusion of the Air is more forcible & stronger then at other times.

Thus farre wee have employ'd our thoughts concerning their first Fountains, or Locall Origin's in Generall.

The Formall Cause, or essentiall Attribute of Winds is their Transverse[Page]Motion: For Air is no longer Wind, then it's Agitated and Mov'd: and therefore Homer was not so good a Philosopher as some of his Scholiasts would make us believe, who shut them up in Ulysses his bottle.

[...],

Hom.

[...].

Odys. 10.

And the swift course of the Tempestuous Wind,

Close in a leather bottle he confind.

The Causes of their oblique Progression has so farre engag'd the most Philosophicall Genius'es of former times; that Bodinus at length, not knowing what to determine among such Variety of opinions, ascribes it to the Energy of Angels: And the College of Conimbra to the Immediate influx [Page] of the Divine Power. Kepler will needs have the Earth Animated, and to breath out Winds from the Subterraneall Caverns, as from it's Nostrils or Mouth.

Theophrastus [in his book which he Entitles: [...]:] Phancy'd the Winds to be partly of an Igneous Nature still aspiring upwards: and partly made up of Terrestriall Exhalations which endeavour to Descend; that by this means they were forc'd to direct their Course Obliquely, between two Contrary Motions: VVhich seems to me lesse Plausible then the Doctrine of Aristotle; though I think it would be equally difficult to explain how the rapid gyration of the Celestiall bodys, could create those violent impressions on the Air, & VVinds, [Page] at that immense distance from the Earth.

It would be tedious to recite the dissents of the Greek interpreters with the Latines; how many nauseating, and frivolous contests arose upon this Argument between Theophrastus, Aphrodisaeus, & the School of Alexandria: and in the more flourishing raign of Peripatetisme, how strangely did Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Cajetan, and Contarenus, with many others of the Seraphic and Angelicall Doctors, torture their wits, either to find out some new Salvo for the Hypothesis of Aristotle, or invent a worse of their own. Bonaventure writ a whole book, wherein he treats of little else beside the severall opinions concerning the Transverse motion [Page] of Wind. And we must needs esteeme it a great effect of their leisure, who have employd so much time in such empty and jejune speculations.

Yet not only the Peripatetiques have fail'd in their attempts: but we have as little satisfaction from Epicurus, or the severe Porch: & may as justly question whether the Theories which shall be started hereafter, must hope for any better successe. Yet I think wee may thus farr rationally conclude, that as the causes of Winds are various, so the reason of their Transverse Motions is not always one and the same.

I have frequently observed that not only the North, but most other Winds, seem many times rather somewhat to descend, then blow in an exact[Page]Perpendicular line to the Horizon: yet wee must acknowledge, that even those which relapse from the Middle Region, or are generated by the Rarefaction of Vapors in the Intermediate space between the Earth and Clouds, have for the most part an oblique or Semicircular Motion; for though their Ingenit weight would rather Praecipitate them to the Earth: yet they are either born up and repel'd by the continuall Effluxions of ascending Steams; or at least can descend no lower then where they come to the just counterpoise of the Air. So that if the Flatulent Vapors have gravity enough (especially after they are Condens'd in the Colder Region) to invite them Downward, and yet the resistence of the Atmosphere sufficient [Page] in a great measure to check and retard their descent; this must necessarily divert them from their Precipice, inclining them rather to a mixt and Collaterall Motion. For though Winds are generally heavyer then the Air below, yet they are supported in it, during their Career; till by degrees falling downwards to the Earth, they at length cease, or languish in their Course.

Wee must note likewise, that the whole body of the Air, settles about the Earth in a sphericall Figure; so that the protrusion is made from all parts to the Center; that the Winds, being resisted by the Pressure of the Atmosphere above, and the Earth or Sea below, move, as in a Channell, between [Page] both, wherefore they soare highest in a Serene Skye, when the depression of the Air, and Winds is much lesse then in Cloudy weather. And the reason why they blow Obliquely (or which is all one) perpendicularly to the Horizon, is not to be suppos'd, because the Vapors are naturally determin'd to any such particular species of Agitation; but that, being dilated by the Sun, they require a larger space, and find the Medium most dispos'd to admit of their Motions in that manner.

Lastly those VVinds which emerge from the Caverns under Ground, may sometimes have that Tranverse Motion impres'd on them from their Fountains, at the time of their Eruption. For those Volatile [Page] spirits or Salts, being once mov'd in the Hollows of the Earth, by the Subterraneall warmth, are still roving up and down, and restlesse, till they get vent; and after their release protrude the Contiguous Air, and propagate the same kind of Agitation in whatever bodys occurre in the way: and then all Auxiliary Vapors will be sure to have Immediate recourse whither the strongest current bends.

But beside these Primitive and Originall, there are other Secundary causes and Affections of VVinds: as, their Undulation; Repercussion from Promontorys; Opposition, &c.

VVee have thus farre enquir'd into the Progressive; but the Undulating Motions are no lesse considerable [Page] in VVinds: for they blow not in one constant fluor, or streame, but in gusts, that have their starts and intervals, intermitting like our pulse; which is call'd the Undulation of VVind or Air, from the resemblance it bears to the wavings and fluctuation of VVaters.

Some of them are Indigenae, or Natives, and others Adventitious to the places where they blow: yet the question still recurrs; for those which are Externs, and either come from beyond Sea, or rove from farre countrys, have the same Locall Origine with the rest, though remoter from our observation.

The motions of VVinds, as indeed all other bodys whatever, are propagated in right lines; if nothing intervene to check and retard [Page] their course: but usually so many impediments occurre, that are able to make resistence in the way, that they seldome proceed in one uninterrupted Perpendicular from their fountains: Especially in moutanous places, Forrests, and other Eminencys, and inequalitys of Ground, but they are repuls'd and recoyl back again, and being sometimes imprison'd in the straits or Creeks of promontorys, they are tost and banded to and fro like Tennis balls, till they find their passage out: so that after severall diversions it may happen at last, that a VVind may bee distracted to a quite different point of the compasse: and otherwhile so far befreinded by the advantageous situations of the places where they blow, [Page] that they run streaming between two Mountains, as in a Channell or trough; and are guarded on all sides from the inroads of other Exotique VVinds and Air. Upon this account its no very unusuall thing to have one VVind blow on the Top of a Mountain, and a quite contrary in the Vally below. In the main Sea they keep the same quarter a long time, when nothing occurrs that can controle them: but neer mountainous Islands, or shoares, they whiffle up and down, and shift from one point of the Compasse to another, by severall repercussions from the promontorys or hills; and these our Seamen call Eddy Winds: For as Water once dismis'd from the Fountains head, is not only tinctur'd with the qualities [Page] it receiv'd from thence, but must afterwards conform to the course of the Channell or banks through which it glides: so the VVinds (which are Torrents, or Rivulets of Air) have their Maeanders and deflections in their Journy, and are in a great measure obnoxious to the situation of the Country's in which they blow: They also meet with frequent opposition, from the repletion of the Atmosphere with multitudes of fresh Exhalations, that check, and crosse them in their way; but especially by their Rancounters with Contrary Winds; which must necessarily Engage, and strive for mastery, till one overcomes: So that from two contrary VVinds, there sometimes results a Third compounded of both [Page] Extremes; and otherwhile if they meet in the Eye of each other from Diametrically opposite points of the Compasse, they ballance one another; and there ensues a calme.

The Matter of Winds according to Aristotle, is, [...]: [A Dry and Fumid Exhalation] wee have his Sentiments more particularly in the second book of Meteors: [...]. On which Text the succeeding Peripatetics seem to ground their Doctrine, that neverthelesse may admit of a farre greater Latitude then the Modern Schooles allow: For he never altogether excluded moist Bodys [...], &c. as is expressy declar'd in the same Chapter: though the Degrees of Siccity were always to be [Page] most Prevalent [ [...]] &c.

I acknowledge that Winds may sometimes consist of Hot & dry Exhalations; but the Humid & Aqueous are much better adjusted to the design. For this reason, rain is the usuall Prognostick of Winds, because the plenty of moisture, then floating upon the superficies of the Earth, is afterwards dilated and put in motion by the heat of the Sun: as Lucretius instances in wet clothes, and Aristotle in moist wood, that emit greater quantityes of steams, and wreke more then Dry: for although the Fumid and Terrene concretions, especially those Earths and Salts in the Caverns and spiracles under Ground, being Agitated by the Subterraneall fires, require a farre intenser heat to resolve [Page] them into Winds being of much more tenacious figures then Water, and other liquids, which hang loosely together, and are sooner expanded into larger dimensions. VVherefore the definition of Metrodorus in Plutarch seems to excell; That VVind is: [...]. Aquosi anhelitus aestus. And though Aristotle declares, they confist of Hot & dry exhalations, at least, the Earthy parts to be always most predominant; yet, by travelling or'e lakes or snowy Mountains, he allows they may become moist or cold; & wee find that almost any stirring, or Ventilation of the Air do's refrigerate.

Neither did the Stagirite himself so strictly confine his Hypothesis to the Hot and terrestriall Exhalations; For in the 2d booke of his Meteors [Page] he acknowledges the Etesians to be generated from the colliquation of ice, & snow in the Polar regions. [...], &c. Quibus à sole colliquatis flare soliti sunt. But why should I longer dispute their materials and propertys? Winds are hot, dry, cold, have the greatest diversitys of qualitys, & accidents: They may consist of almost infinite variety of salts, spirits, juyces, and minerals, Subterraneous damps, agitated Air, dissolv'd Snows, broken and dissipated Clouds, rarify'd vapors, and what not? For most bodys being sufficiently dilated, and put in motion are convertible into Wind.

Next, as to their Limits and Seasons: Some spread many thousand leagues, and others not above 2 or [Page] 3 miles from their Fountains; I call That the Country, or Fountain of VVind, where are those Caverns, or other Locall Origin's which gave them birth.

Wee cannot easily determine of their Altitude: My Lord Bacon delivers his sense, that they not only aspire to the Confines of the Middle Region, but soar above the generallity of Clouds; as wee oftentimes observe the Clouds move, & a gentle breath fanning the top branches of trees, and yet not the least Brise of Wind stirring neer the surface of the Earth: which shows, they sometimes prevayle most in the Lower, and otherwhile in the remoter stations of the Air, and so accordingly mount higher or descend, as they happen to be more or lesse [Page] depres'd by the Gravity of the Atmosphere.

Varenius perceiv'd the smoake issuing from the top of mount Aetna, to be Agitated and tost up and down, as from the tunnells of chimnys; which, though it lifts up its snowy head into the Second Region, yet it is not altogether exempt from the incursions of Winds. However, Acosta travelling o're the Peruvian hils, discover'd no violent motion of the Air; but rather an Aether so subtilis'd, and ignite, that it caus'd heavings & convulsions in animals, so that they were forc't to thicken it with spunges, to prevent immediate suffocation. In like manner the highest eminency or peak of Tenariffe, is always at peace, nor expos'd to those storms which sometimes [Page] infest the lower parts or neck of the Mountain.

The Alps, and Pyreneans, or whatever hils beside that are cover'd with perennial snows, are also lyable to VVinds from their resolution in the Summer; but the Peruvian, and some others which may be reckon'd as the Extravagancys of Nature, that threaten the sky, and overlook the Clouds with their prodigious height, are, I suppose, never disturb'd by tempests; though I question whether any of our European world can pretend to this priviledge, yet the Grecian historians, who took all opportunitys to advance the miracles of their country, relate of the Macedonian Athos; That it was Customary when they sacrific'd on the top of [Page] of the mountain, to inscribe their names in the ashes, and the characters are said to have remain'd all the yeer round, without being in the least defac'd by the VVinds.

The Spring and Autumn, especially about the time of either Aequinox, are the most Flatulent seasons of the yeere.

It's observable, the complexion of the Air is generally more silent at Midday, and in Soultry Weather; when the Exhalations are too much attenuated to constitute Winds, which require a very considerable density and refrigeration: For this reason the South Winds usually blow in the Night, the Air being over much refin'd in that quarter by the heat of the Day, till it condense again by the moderate cold of the night. [Page] The Spring is generally more Windy then the Violent heats of Summer; both from the liquefaction of snows; and because the pores of the Earth are then loosen'd, and the Vaporous effluxions releast from their former imprisonment, during the Frost: and therefore those VVinters which have least frost, and the Vapors suffer'd freely to transpire, are expos'd to the most boystrous Winds: as for example the last in the yeere 1670.

Likewise in Autumn wee have commonly very blustring weather; most about the other Aequinox, when the Sun principally dilating the Air between the Tropiques, causes a more violent protrusion towards the Poles of the VVorld. Shall wee say that the luxuriant [Page] Rains which fall at that time of the yeare, affor'd more plentifull materials for VVind? Or is it by reason the reservs of the Summer Vapors are condens'd by the Autumnall cold, when the heat of the Summer too much refines, and dissipates the exhalations, & the inclemency of the Winter rather thickens them into Snow or Clouds. So that a just and moderate condensation is necessary to the constitution of VVinds: if it be too much, they degenerate into rain, &c. if too little, they become Stagnant Air.

But, from their Limits and Seasons, I descend to the more remarkable Species: As the Generall or Tropicall VVind; the Provinciall; the Land and Sea Brises; the severall [Page] sorts of Etesians and Monsoons in the Indian Seas, &c. and shall from thence proceed to their Qualitys, and Prognostiques.

The Generall or Trade VVind, continues all the yeare round with little variation. It is likewise call'd the Tropicall, Levantine, and Universall Brise: because it blows constantly from the Eastern Points: and makes no farre excursions beyond the Tropiques; commonly meeting our ships about the 30, 34, and in Summer oftentimes beyond the 36, degree of N. Latitude: always proportionably to the declination of the Sun.

On this side the line they sit most at N. East; and on the other, at South East, or the points between the South and East. Now what [Page] Universall cause can afford such immense magasins of vapors? where can be the Locall origines of these perenniall VVinds which imitate the circulation of the Heavens? Or happily the disciples of Copernicus will conclude that they depend on the diurnall motion of the Earth; which passing from East to West, in the space of 24 houres, may by that violent rotation seduce with it the adjacent Air in one constant fluor or streame; For wee observe that the Winds in some Seas change with the currents or tydes; and if so small a force can vary the motions of the Air; how much more may wee expect from the rapid circumgyration of the whole Terraqueous globe? De Cartes, speaking of these Levant Winds in his discourse of Meteors, says, Commode ratio deduci[Page]nequeat, nisi Universi fabrica simul explicetur. This opinion, I confesse, is wholly built on the Copernican Hypothesis; yet if the Heavens move, and the Earth stand still, according to the Vulgar and more receiv'd system of the world, wee may render a no lesse rationall account of the Phaenomenon from other solid grounds.

For, supposing the heat to be farre more intense to exhale and sollicit vapors, between the Tropiques, when the Sun is Verticall, and the rays fall at right angles to the Earth: This must needs set vast multitudes of vapors a-float, both from Sea and Land, which may be sufficient to furnish materials for the Generall Wind: but then an objection may as easily bee [Page] started, why these Vapors, or Winds, still keep in the road of the Sun? why should they not sometimes slant aside, and make their deflexions towards the Poles? I answer; the resistence of the Atmosphere is greater; being remoter from the middle of the world, and the immediate jurisdiction of the Sun beams, that the winds are as it were wall'd in on both sides, by the grosser vapors beyond the Tropiques; and so forced to attend on the solar motions, where the channell is open, and the Air more yielding and refin'd by the continuall heat.

Nay, even in our Seas, when no other Winds are stirring, you may often perceive a small Air still accompanying the course of the Sun; and it's remarquable in dead calms [Page] that both the Fanes of ships, & weathercocks by land generally hang Westward. This may receive some Elucidation from a very obvious experiment of an iron bullet, heated, and drawn over the surface of water, that presently invites the the ambient Air to follow the same course, as wee may discover by a feather, or other versatil body suspended above the VVater; that will have an immediate tendency the same way, where the medium being attenuated by the heated iron becomes more pervions and rare: which methinks may be of some validity to explicate why these Universall Winds have that constant complyance and uniformity with the course of the Sun. They are likewise accompany'd with a [Page] perpetuall motion of the Seas, from East to VVest: for the Currents of Air and water are inseparable companions, both in the South seas, the Pacifique, and Indian Ocean. And as the tydes are driven from the shoars, and returne in a thousand Eddys, and tortuous Meanders from the land; In like manner the VVinds, though they chance to be frequently repuls't by the promontorys, and higher Islands, that like shoars impede the Atmosphericall currents, yet generally between the Tropiques the motions of the Seas and VVinds make their perennial progresse the same way. Some are pleas'd to think, that the Sun in their Zenith do's so farre excavate and absorbe the parts of the subjacent Ocean [Page] that the waters immediately follow, as in a channell, from East to West: But Vossiius [De Motu Maris & Vent.] on the contrary, do's as eagerly contend, that the Celestial beams doe, by dilating the waters, rather cause a greater turgency and protuberance on their superficies; which therefore subside towards the Occident, where the passage is more declive, till it be likewise elated by the approach of the Sun: From the same principles he endeavours the solution of the Universall Winds, that the Air rises highest where the Solar rays fall at more direct angles; and then, like the Seas, begin their course Westward: of which he assigns no other cause then as before: Quia lege naturae, ab altioribus ad decliviora fit [Page] motus: quod enim Aequor, id ipsum patitur Aer huic incumbens. So perfectly Analogous are the motions of Air to those of Water: that the Winds are almost Universally govern'd by the Hydrostatique Laws.

However, I shall no longer propose my conjecturall thoughts concerning the cause of this abstruse Phaenomenon: but chuse rather to entertain the Curious, with some nicer observations, which have been made both by the English and Dutch, that by this means, though I dare not boast the invention of New Hypotheses, yet I may be able to cast in my mite towards the perfecting an history of nature.

I was lately enquiring of a very skilfull navigator, what variations he observ'd of the Trade Winds in [Page] his voyages to the West Indies. Who readily complying with my desires sent me this following account.

‘The Trade Winds have their Variations as well as others, though not so much: For betwixt the Tropiques, where wee are at the greatest certainty, they differ two or three points.’

‘Their most certain points are the N E. by N. and N E. by E. I have observ'd both outward, and homeward bound, that as wee came Northerly, so wee had the more Easterly Winds in the same Latitude: As for example, outward bound, in the Latitudes of 20, 21, 22, and 23, neere the Tropique of Cancer, and in the Longitudes of 52. 53. and 54. beginning the said Longitude at the [Page] Meridian of London; I say, there wee found the Winds at E. N. E. and E. by N. and E. and sometimes E. and by S. and E. S. E. so likewise homeward bound, sayling along the North side of Cuba, in the same Latitudes above mention'd, neere the Tropique, wee found the Winds upon the same points, as a foresaid, though there were 35 degrees of Longitude difference: but after wee have passed these Latitudes, and sayling neere the line, wee shall then find the Trade Winds to incline more towards the N. E. as is above declared.’

But what I could not so particularly collect from many reviews of our Seamens Journals, I find an Inquisitive Person has observ'd in [Page] two severall Voyages to the East Indies. ‘That from 34 degrees of N. Lat. towards the coast of Afric, or about the Meridian of the Canaries; the Winds seldome vary above two points from the North East; and so last to the 7 or 8: though sometimes the Tornado VVinds have been met with from the 12th of N. Lat. and generally continue till within 4 degrees of the line. Moreover P. Trans. Vol. 2. from the African shoare, 100 or 200 leagues West; the foremention'd North-East Wind commonly inclines to the East; and 20 degrees off from the meridian of the Azores, will be most at East North-East: and as the VVinds neer the Continent of Europe are commonly between [Page] East and North, so at the meridian of the hithermost Azores, they hang between South-West, and North-West.’

‘The S. East Winds begin to take place between the Aequator, and the Tropique of Capricorn: and the nearer you are to the Coast of Afric, they are the more Southerly: and as you approach to the Coast of Brasile, it inclines more and more to the East. And there is not only variation in respect of the Longitude, but likewise of the Latitude: So that neere the Aequator the VVind is more towards the South, then it is in the same Meridian neer the Tropique of Capricorn, where it it is constantly between S. E. by E. and S. E. by S.’

From hence wee may understand [Page] what variations happen to the Generall Winds in respect to the degrees of Longitude: and for their Latitude, or distance from the Aequator, it's for the most part govern'd by the course of the Sun: which being Excentrical from the Earth, as it approaches, or deviates more or lesse from one Tropique to another; so it alternately causes the same declinations in the Universall Winds: when it deflects towards the Northern signs, they likewise bend the same way: If the Sun be just about the Aequinoctiall, they have the same Winds and tydes in the Pacifique, and so from Peru to the Moluccas: when it's in the Summer Solstice, the Trade Wind reaches to at least the 36th degree of Boreal Latitude; and [Page] being in Capricorn, it not only declines to almost the 40 degree of S. Lat. but obliges them that navigate in the Northern Hemisphere, to fetch their VVind much neerer the line. The same detrusion of the Seas and VVinds happens, not only in the Ocean between Africk and the West Indies; but in the South seas towards the Philippine Islands. For from March to October, they hang towards the North; and from October to March, they revert with the Sun towards the Southern parts of the world. Yet there may some accidents intervene, that frequently impede the course of the tydes, and Universal VVinds: as the Situations of promontorys, or shoars, especially about the Coast of Guiny, and oother [Page] parts of Africk: but in the Indian seas subjacent to the Torrid Zone, from the 10, or 11 degrees of S. Lat. to the 28, there are constantly the same motions of the Tydes and VVinds, till the Sun retiring towards the Tropique of Cancer, draws the Winds 10, or 11 degrees more North, nay sometimes almost to the Aequinoctial line: but as it describes a contrary Arch towards the South, they in like manner make their excursions to about the 30 degree of South Latitude.

The Adjacent Mountains that guard them from the East, likewise divert the Levants from the Coasts of Guiny: which occasions such tedious Calms towards the Aequinoctiall, that some ships have waytted [Page] severall months, for a VVind before they could set sayl from their Port. So Angola, Congo, and many other Countrys along the Aethiopique Ocean, from the line to neer the Tropique of Capricorne; as Cape Negro, Carinba, &c. are shelterd from the Generall Brise: As likewise Peru, and some other Western parts of America, which have vast ridges of Hills that run for many thousand leagues from North to South, dividing Guiana and Brasile from Peru and the Kingdome of Chili.

I shall only add, that the Levants blow much stronger by day then night, (as is well known to all Mariners who have sail'd between the Tropiques) which shows that they rather depend on the Sun then [Page] the motion of the Earth, or Primum Mobile.

These are the most Generall observations: but, as I before suggested, the Trade VVinds loose much of their soveraignty neare the shoars, and are frequently impeded by the intervention of Islands, and Crosse Winds: and sometimes the Promontorys and Land Brises repell them from their Coasts: yet these, or whatever extraneous accidents, can never alter the perennial motion, but it still recovers again: & blowing from Africk to the American continent, and so through the South seas towards the East Indies, & from thence makes as it were a complete Tour round the world.

The Ocean between Jemiac and [Page] Carthagene is oftentimes very tempestuous: but neerer inclining to either shoars the fury of the Trade Winds is much abated, and for 20 leagues in length, at a place call'd the Keys of Cuba, it's interrupted by a Westerly Wind that blows all the yeare round. So that it prevayles most in the Pacifique and other Spacious seas; where it runs streaming without impediment along the liquid Plaines; that from New Spain to the Philippine Islands, they steer the same course, for 60 days together, and from the Cape of good Hope to St. Helens, it likewise constantly swells their sayles with one secure and equall gale.

Wee might likewise venture at a better account, then has hitherto been given, why the Western Wind [Page] blows most commonly on this side the Tropiques; for the whole current of Air being carry'd from East to West, it recoyls back again; and by reason of this repercussion, from about 30 degrees Latitude where the Trade VVind ceases, the Western begins. Here in England, the Eastern usually govern the spring, and wee have sometimes variable VVinds, but generally the Western ingrosse the greatest part of the yeare, which indeed are no more then the Tropicall VVind at rebound: for not being able to return back against the stream (the Trade VVinds still raigning in the Torrid Zone) it must needs bee diverted toward the Poles, and sometimes produces the West, and otherwhile the Laterals, North and South West, [Page] as the Angles are more direct or acute in their reflexion.

Thus, from the same Latitude where the Trade Wind ends, there usually begins a motion contrary to the course of the Sun, by which wee sail from West to East, and so much the more or lesse, as it deflects towards either of the Poles. wherefore those who navigate from the Moluccas to the Western parts of America, being never able to hold on their course in the middle, and beare up against the Generall VVind, fetch a compasse beyond the Tropiques, sometimes to 36, and otherwhile to 40; as the course of the Sun, and consequently the Winds and Tydes, incline more or lesse towards the North or South. And so those that sail from Barhados[Page]St. Domingo, or Jamaica, are forc'd to steer their course towards the Gulf of Florida, to the 36, and in Summer sometimes beyond the 40 degree of N. Latitude; where they meet with the Reverse, or Western Winds to conduct them into Europe. The same likewise happens in the voyage from Brasile to Angola: if the Sun illustrates the Southern world, it extrudes the Generall VVind to at least the 36 degree of S. Latitude; where afterwards they meet with perpetuall Currents and Winds from the West: but in the other part of the yeare, when the Trade VVind makes a lesser Arch towards their Hemisphere, it will be sufficient if you take a compasse to the 25, or 26 degrees of Latitude.

[Page] So not only the Tropicall Brise, but the VVestern (which are kind of perennial or Stationary VVinds without the Tropiques) observe their just distance from the Aequinoctiall, always proportionable to the course of the Sun: and if this were better understood by some of our less curious navigators, they would find the motions of the Trade Winds, though it meets them in severall Latitudes, sometimes neerer, & otherwhile remoter from the line, not so Fortuitous as they commonly imagine: & some more accurate observations of this nature, would not only instruct them, where to expect the Trade VVind in their voyages to the New World, but how farre they should make a circuit without the Tropicks, [Page] to fetch their Western VVinds, when they are Homeward bound.

The Generall or Trade Winds are diffus'd though the Universe, and have vast Territorys, and dominions, but others are confin'd to as narrow a compasse; which they call the Regionary and Provinciall, because they wander not farre from their Native Fountains, and termiminate in those Regions which gave them birth. Gassendus mentions one in Provence that blows constantly from the Gass. Meteor. cap. 1. same point, and seldome makes any excursions above two miles.

* Seneca says, these are observ'd Nulla regio quae non habet aliquem ventum intra se cadentem, & circa se nascentam. Lib. 5. N. Q. cap. 17. in all Countrys & climes. And whence can they proceed but from [Page] the Salts, juices, and Earths there about that afford them materials? or from the Adjacent mountains, and Caverns, which are (as it were) the Country and Royalty of those Winds; so that they neither sally farre abroad themselves, nor suffer Forreigners to invade their Destricts. For though by reason of the situation of the places, or the Paucity of the exhalation, they make no long Journys from home; yet having Indefectible and Perenniall Fountains, they never cease blowing within their own jurisdiction.

I might reckon among the Provinciall Winds, those on the shoars of Peru and Chile, which blow perpetually from the South: that in their voyage from Lima to Panama [Page] they quickly run it up before the Wind, but in their returne back again, they are forc'd to steere a different course, which requires many days.

We have in the next place, a fit opportunity to make a more accurate research into all sorts of Brises. The Brises are those VVinds which blow alternately both from Sea and Land, in the space of 24 houres.

The Viracoins or Sea Brises rule by day, and those that come off from shoare which the Portugals call Terreinhos, or Vento di Terra, are, as it were, the Sentinels of the night; so that dividing their Empire between Sea and Land; they are constant as the seasons of the year, or course of the Sun; on which they seem wholly to depend. Yet I deny [Page] not, but they come sooner or later, in some places then others, and vary the Alternative, according to the severall latitudes, and other externall events in the regions where they happen.

De Cartes and Du Hamel agree in the same opinion; where, offering at the cause why some VVinds blow off from Sea in the day time, and from Land by night; the former gives this account. Solem De Cartes p. 159. dum splendet plures, vapores e mari, quàm terra attollere: at contra, cum sol recessit, calorem relictum plures è terra, quàm è mari, elevare. And Du Hamel comments thus on the same opinion in his treatise of Meteors. Haec enim calorem pertinacius retinet quàm aqua; unde terra etiam noctu vapores ventis procreandis[Page]suppeditat: as if the day Brises were generated from the Sea vapors during the presence of the Sun; and the Night Winds from the heat which he leaves behind him in the Earth. For though liquids reake more in the Day time, and emit greater numbers of vaporous steams; yet Solid bodys, such as the Earth, being once thoroughly heated, retain the warmth longer, by reason the density and close contexture of their parts, for some time, hinders the exilition of the fiery particles. So that after Sunsetting, the Terrestriall fumes may still afford matter for the Night Brises.

Yet the learned De Motu Maris & Vent. Is. Vossius regretting the ill successe of all former Hypotheses, [Page] & particularly that of Cartesius, follow'd by Du Hamel, endeavours to prove the origine of most, and even those that are commonly reputed Land Winds, to proceed from the Sea, which he admits not only to be sooner susceptible of any Calorifique impressions, but longer retentive of them, then the Earth. For the Divers find by experience, that the profoundest Seas are in hot Days warme to the bottome, though not equally with their surface; when the Land is scarce ever heated above 2 or 3 foot by the Sun. Wee may suppose with this Inquisitive Gentleman, that the motion of the Air is generally consectaneous to the Seas; and both of them Elated by Rarefaction: So that the heat raising them higher, [Page] the Winds and tydes accompany each other to the shoars; yet in the night time, being depriv'd of the Celestiall beams, they subside; and observing the equall libration of the Air, revert back again to their former stations; whence may be generated those which wee call Terrestriall Winds: Sole occaso subsidere utrumque humorem, & Aerem denuo ad locum suum refluere. Cap. 24.

In some Countrys the Sea-brises are no more then Efforts of the Generall or Trade VVind; as at Madagascar, St. Helens, Barbados, and others of the Caribbe-Islands, together with many places between Tropiques, when the Universall VVind reaches their Coasts: which, if it bee not impeded by [Page] tains, or Islands, blows fresh in the day time, but after Sun-setting, the Terrestriall exhalations, that happily were too much attenuated by the heat of the Day, condense again by the nocturnall cold, And setling about the Promontorys and hills, they are at length precipitated by their innate gravity, and beget a Wind towards all quarters at once; which is not only able to make head against the Trade Wind, but to repulse it from their coasts. As the Jamaica Brises come from all parts of the Issland at the same time, that no ship can enter the Harbour by Night, nor depart after the Sea Brise begins.

Lastly may not all sorts of Brises, bee chiefely caus'd by the mutuall [Page] Rarefaction and condensation of the Air; and those which in the Day time make to land (where the medium is most yielding and thinnest, because fewer vapors ascend from thence) in the night, are repercus'd back again to Sea; and so, as it were, Ebbe and flow by turns, that these Atmosphericall tydes are no lesse constant, then the fluxes and refluxes of the Ocean. I have often suspected, that all these species of Winds arise from the difference between the density of the Land and Sea Air: For Air, if it chance to be much compres'd in one place, more then another, the naturall Elasticity thereof endeavours a restitution, and oftentimes repells it back again with extreme violence: so that almost any unequall [Page] density of the Atmosphere may occasion Winds. But whatever be the particular mode of their generation, they seeme to be universally govern'd by the motion of the sun. When first he salutes our Horizon, they begin insensibly to fanne, and agitate the Air, blowing fresher by degrees, as the Celestiall heat prevayles, and are highest at 12 of the clock; and so continue till 2 or 3, and then slacken, and (as it were) decline with the Sun. The Brises in the Levant cease all the winter, when the Sun is banisht into the Southern Tropique; and returne again in the spring when he likewise reverts towards the Northerne signs: beside, they often intermit in the Summer, when the Levant Winds blow through the Mediterranean; [Page] and it would questionlesse prove very obliging to the learned world, to make a complete collection of such observations, as might any way contribute to a more perfect history of Brises. For example, first how they differ according to the severall Latitudes and meridians, 2ly whether they are perenniall, as between the Tropiques, or last only the Summer Months, as most in the temperate Zones: 3ly what obstructions they meet with from the Universall Brise, or other crosse VVinds. And Lastly the nature of the shoars, Currents, and hills where they happen. In the foremention'd Isle of Jamaica the Land Winds depend so much on the situation of the mountain, that they reach to all parts at an equall distance from [Page] thence: and therefore an ingenious person has observ'd in his voyage to the Caribbes Islaid Philos. Transact., that at Port-morant on the Easterly side of the Country there is little land Brise, because the mountain is more remote from thence, so that the exhalation spends it self in the way.

In these parts of the West Indies, the Sea Winds are coolest, and most refreshing, which the people receive with their windows open, the fronts of their houses being generally built on purpose for their reception; and they find themselves no lesse quickend by the pleasurable gale, which is as great a Luxury to those Regions, as bathing with us; and so cherishing to the inhabitants, that sick persons, [Page] if they can possibly creep out of their Hammocks or beds, neglect not this opportunity of reviving their spirits. In so much that wee may judge concerning the salubrity of many African and American climats, from the nature of the Brises; for those which want the gentle salutes of the Sea Wind, are scarce inhabitable by the excesse of heat. In the mean time, though I despaire of reconciling the various Hypotheses to which the Phaenomena may referre; I shall set down certain Historicall remarques taken from our Journals, & voyages into the Levant, Guiny, the East, and West Indies; and may hereafter promise a fuller account of all other parts, wherever the English ships have spread their Triumphant [Page] streamers in the Old or New world.

In the first place wee must note, that the Terreinhos, and Brises of all sorts succeed a calme; wherein happily the matter of which they consist, forms it selfe.

They come in the day time from the Seaward; yet not always from one poinr of the compasse, but severall, as the land lyes. On the coast of Carthagene from the East; on the Island of Trinidad, and so likewise at Guiana in America, from the North; At Jamaica South upon one side of the Island, and North upon the other.

In Guiny (and from 6. degrees of N. Latitude to the Aequinoctiall,) the Sea Brises arrive at S. S. W. to the S. W. Their beginning is at 9, [Page] or 10 of the clock in the morning, and they continue till 10, 11, or 12, at night, blowing a fresh gale, which extremely cherishes the Natives & white men.

At 10, 11, or 12, at night they cease; giving place to the Land Winds, which continue till morning, from the North to the N. W. points. This I was inform'd by a skillfull Master of a ship, who had made severall voyages to Guiny; whom I shall have occasion to mention more particularly hereafter.

On the coasts of Malabar (if wee may rely upon Linschoten, and Varenius (who pretends in such cases to have diligently consulted the Sea mens journalls) from September to Aprill, which is the time of [Page] their Summer, the Easterly Winds blow off the land, about 12 at night, & continue till 12 at noone, reaching 10 miles into the Ocean; Then the VVestern make to shoar, as it were the former reflected back again; the Vapors and clouds being alternately resolv'd into VVinds, by the rising, and setting Sun.

In Brasile, Madagascar, and many of the Caribbe-Islands, they have no Land Brise, especially if the shoars lye low, as at Barbados, where the Generall or Levant. Wind blows from one end of the Isle to the other; and servs instead of the Viracoins or Sea-brise. Here (as I was inform'd by one of the chiefe Planters, who liv'd severall years upon the place) it begins to rise about 7, or 8 in the morning, rising higher [Page] with the Sun till 12, when it blows with a very strong Gale; and so lasts at the same height till towards 3 in the afternoon, and then slackens at Sun setting. As the Trade VVind generally blows fresher by day then night.

On the Coasts of Madagascar and Brasile, they have the aforesaid Generall or Trade VVinds, all the yeare round, from 9 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon. It would be further enquir'd into, whether there be any Terreinhos, but from high lands: for at Barbados they have rarely any Land Brise, the Levants being sole Monarchs of the Island: but at Jamaica, which lyes not above 4 or 5 degrees from thence, and within the Tropiques, they have also the Land Winds constantly [Page] every Night, which drive a way the Levants from their shoars.

In other Places they want the Sea-Brise: and for the most part, where the Ocean lyes VVesterly between the Tropiques: as the Western Kingdomes of Afric; Gualata, Hoden, about Cape Verde, and the river Niger, Malaguta, Congo: so in America on the Coasts of New Spain, Chiapa, Hondura, &c. where the Trade VVind raigns perpetually, and suffers not the Sea-Brise to approach their Coasts. But where ever long ridges of Mountains guard them from the East, as in part of Guiny, Angola, and so on the Western Countrys of Peru; they have the refreshing Brises from the Ocean, which renders them fruitfull and pleasant.

[Page] I made no further enquiry of our Sea men concerning the Brises of the East Indies, finding them already set down by Hughen Van Linschoten in his Instuction, forCap. 18. lib. 3. the Navigation of the Indies.

‘The Land Winds blowing into the Sea, last from Midnight; and the Viracoius (which arrive at the West and sometimes N. W. throughout all India) from noon till 12 at night: and coming out of the Sea towards the Land, are therefore call'd Viracoins, or Sea Winds: They often stay late, and blow but slowly.’

Nearer the Coasts of China, you have the Terreinhos out of the West, and N. W. S. E. and E. N. E. Being in the North they change to the South, and then ensues Cap. 24. lib. 3. [Page] a calme, till the Terreinhos come in.

The Brises in the Straights begin about 9, or 10 in the Morning, blowing freshest at noon, and so gradually declining till 4 or 5, at last cease in a Calme: which lasts till 10, 11, or 12, at night: VVhen begins the Land Brise till 5 or 6; and then Calme, till the Sea Brise comes in. This account I receiv'd from a Sea Captain well vers'd in all parts of the Levant: having serv'd under the Venetians severall years in those Seas.

At the river of Constantinople the VVinds commonly blow thorough; but in exceeding fair VVeather you shall have both the Land and Sea Brises, as in the Straights.

If either the Easterly, or VVesterly [Page] VVinds, blow fresh, they hinder both the Land and Sea Brises in the Mediterranean; of which wee must note: They are always the more languid, and weaker, the later they come in.

In very hot days, and when no other VVinds are stirring, you may sometimes observe this alternation between the Land and Sea Brises on the Coasts of England: but scarce with any certainty beyond the Latitude of Portugal.

Brises of all sorts are more constant in Summer, then Winter; and between the Tropiques, then in the Temperate Zones.

The Etesians or Anniversary VVinds are those which blow constantly at certain seasons of the yeare. The most remarkable species [Page] begin in Summer about the rise of the Dog starre; and last 40 days, being preceded by their Prodromi, or Fore-runners 8, or 10 days.

The account of Pliny is not much different from Aristotle; as he computes their Etesians, in the 2d book of his Naturall History.

Not only the Stagirite and Theophrastus, but of late De Cartes and many other Moderns derive their Origine from the colliquated snows and ice, in the Northerly regions. For the long continuance of the Sun, neer 6 months together above their Horizon, at last overcomes the obstinacy of the cold, and dissolves the snows; which being attenuated into VVinds, make long marches towards the South, where they find the Air more yielding and pure, [Page] then the Foggs, and grosse vapors of the North.

They were call'd the Sleepy VVinds: Venti Delicati, & Somniculares; by reason they intermit in the night time, and rise again with the Sun: happily because the vapors were then only sufficiently dilated by the celestiall beams, though in the night time they subside, and hover neare the Earth; being too refrigerate and dense to constitute VVinds, till they are again quicken'd, & put in motion by the approaches of the Sun.

I am willing to acquiesce in the aforesaid cause; and I believe wee in England or France, might owe our Etesians to Groenland, and other parts of the Frozen Zones, because wee have no constant visible [Page] Fountains of any such VVinds in our own dominions: but if the Etesians of Greece, according to the sentiments of Aristotle, doe allways depend on the resolution of snows in the North, they would certainly take Russia, Poland, or Germany, in the way, which lye neerer the Artick Pole, before they arrive at Greece: and yet on the other side of the Taurican hills, they are said to have Southerly VVinds about the time of the Graecian Etesians. VVee may better make judgement of these Winds, that, being most Peculiar to this Country, they were no Forreigners in their Originall, but sprung from particular Fountains within it selfe; such as the hills of Macedon and Thrace, that have perennial Snows of their own, and [Page] these being master'd by the scorching heats of Summer, may give birth to their Etesian Winds: which has this advantage over the other opinion, that it clears the difficulty, why they are silent in the night, and blow with fresher Gusts at Midday, when the Sun mounts highest in the Northern Hemisphere. I shall only adde, not to mention severall others of the modern Naturallists, that even * Cabeus himselfe, who was a person sufficiently Zealous in asserting Meteor. pag. 202. the Peripatetique Hypothesis, dissents from the opinion of Aristotle, & will scarce allow the Etesians of Greece, a remoter Origine then the neighboring Alps.

I shall not insist upon the mistake, for which some of his [Page] own interpreters have severely enough reflected upon Aristotle: That he should first deduce the Origine of these VVinds from the Frozen Zones, and afterward assign the reason why they blow stronger in the Day time; because the liquefaction of the Snows is interrupted by the Nocturnall Cold; when it's Notorious, that in those Countrys, the Sun for many Months together, is never depres'd below their Horizon.

Towards the Adriatique, and many parts of Asia, they have Set Winds which arrive from the N. and N. E. Yet all these, which were reputed the Venti Stati, blow not from the Northerly Points; for in Gascony, about the same time with the Etesians of Greece, they have [Page] rather Southerly Winds; which Scaliger (who was best able to judge of his own Country) observes to be unwholesome and Pestilentiall.

At Madrid for the most part of the Summer they have a Brise from the Pyreneans, or the Adjacent Guadarama, which extremely allays the excesse of heat.

You shall have different sorts of Winds from the same Snowy mountain, blowing to severall quarters, according to the situation of the Countrys: As was observ'd in those Countrys by the foremention'd Cabeus: Saepe nobis Boreas, & Borealibus Auster Spirat: It being not unusuall for them in Lombardy to feel a Northerly, and at Tirol, which is situate on the contrary [Page] side of the Alps, a Southerly Wind, at the same time.

In Italy they can never fail of Etesians from their own Appennines; and so happily on the shoare of Guzarat, and the Indian Ocean, from mount Caucasus: And where ever great Chains or ridges of Hills run along, as the Caucasean or Appennine, this very often renders an account of most Etesians there about: Yet I question whether many Authors may not ascribe too much to this one cause: for in some places they have Anniversary Winds, that can never possibly have their rise from the Resolution of Snows. And, I believe, it would prove extremely difficult, to lay down any tolerable Hypothesis, of the Monsoons on the Coasts of Afric, and India, from [Page] the best discoverys wee have yet been able to make of those Parts.

There are other Stated or Anniversary Winds, which they call'd [...] & [...], Avicular and White-South Winds: either because they were so friendly to the procreation of birds; or rather, that they return'd with Nightingales or Swallows in the spring: beginning to blow after the Summer Solstice, by the computation of Aristotle, 70 days, about the beginning of March.

But no longer to dispute the certainty of those observations, which were made by the Greeks, and afterwards transmitted from them to the Romans; who were by farre lesse sagacious in the Studies of Nature: I have here in England for some years past, kept by [Page] me an exact table, or Ephemeris both of the Vernall, and Summer Etesians; but found the VVinds no lesse Variable in those Months, then at other Seasons.

The Monsons are Anniversary Winds in the Indian & African Seas, call'd by the Dutch Moussons [i. e. Motions] and by our English Sea-Captains vulgarly Monsons. They blow Easterly one half of the yeare; & the other part, from the contrary points. They were unknown to the Ancient world who wanting the use of the Compasse, made no long voyages by Sea; but the industrious moderns have taught us new Theorys of Nature: they have taken as larg a circuit as the Sun, and their ambition has known no other bounds [Page] but those of the Ocean. Heretofore wee had no commerce with the East Indies, but by way of the Levant, the merchandise being brought from the Red Sea to Aleppo, and other parts of Syria, and so transported through the Mediterranean; till about the yeare 1500 the Portugues found out the Passage by the Cape of Good Hope. Yet in their first attempts they either happend to be there at the breaking up of the Monsons, or other crosse seasons, that scarce one ship in twenty arriv'd safe at Goa: but of late yeares very few of our East India Fleets miscarry; since the Currents and Monsons have been better understood by our Pilots and Masters of ships.

I have diligently compar'd the [Page] accounts wee have from Kircher, Ricciol, and Furnier, of the Anniversary Winds in the Indian seas, with the English Journals; and find those authors generally false: Nay even Varenius himself, who was more conversant with Sea-faring men, is no lesse erroneous then the rest. But to omit nothing which may satisfy the curious in these enquirys; I shall insert a relation of the Monsons communicated to me from Captain George Swanly, an experienc'd Captain, after diverse voyages he had made to the Orientall Indies; which I have set down in his own words.

‘The Munsons or Monsoons are Winds which raign 5 Months of the yeare on one side of the Compasse, and 5 others on the Opposite. There are two months in which [Page] they change, that have variable VVinds; (viz.) most part of March and September.’

‘From September, on the North side of the Aequator, to the Tropique of Cancer and there about, in the Indian Seas, they blow from the N. E. and according to course of the Months, they veere more Northerly.’

‘At Surat, Malabar, Pegu, and that Coast of India, is the fair season till March: All which time 'tis the fowl season with the same VVinds on the other side, at Coromandel, Patane, towards China, and Japan: and all the said time, from September till March, on the South of the Aequinoctiall, the Winds are on the N. W. quarter of the Compasse with rain; which there is the Fowl-weather-Monsoon.’

‘[Page] From March to September, the VVinds are, to Northwards of the Aequator, Westerly, or at the S. W. points, with rains, at Surat, Malabar and Pegu; at which time it is fair on the Coasts of Coromandel, Patane, towards China, and in the way to Japan; and then in the Tropique of Capricorn the Winds are at S. E. and that quarter; which are in those Parts the dry Monsoons.’

‘Yet neare all Lands between the Tropiques on the Eastward of Cape Bon Esperance in the fowl seasons there doe happen some fair intervalls; yet in the dry Months, seldome any rains interrupt the constant serenity of the Air.’

‘The Fair Monsoons are the VVinds blowing partly off the shoars, and contrariwise the Monsoons [Page] blowing on the shoars, are the fowl and rainy seasons.’

Yet still happily I shall leave the reader in suspence, whether Ricciolus, and other learned men, or the reports of our Seamen, are most to be credited; But I shall not scruple to decide it for the latter; who beside their yearly Traffique into those parts, are oblig'd to a very perfect understanding of the Monsons; since the mistaking of very few days may sometimes hazard the losse of their voyage for that whole yeare. VVhen as the Jesuites, for the most part, transcribe one from another, without strictly enquiring into the truth of what they write; and Kircher (who of all others is the greatest Rhapsodist of Falsitys, though he contain [Page] some rich Oare among much drosse) pretends to have had no other information of these particulars, then what he collected from the English, and Dutch Journalls; which I doubt, he never had opportunitys sufficiently Mund. Subterr. Lib. 4. to examine, or compare.

When one Motion ceases, the other does not immediately begin; but there are sometimes longer, and otherwhile shorter Intervalls between them: In which, are variable Winds, and Calms that presage dangerous Tempests: for the Opposite Winds, before one resigns to another, must needs, by their strugling, cause strange disorders in the Atmosphere. Wherefore of all seasons in the yeare, our Masters of ships ever avoid the Seas at the [Page] changing or breaking up of the Monsons. It's observable, the Easterly Winds change, sometimes first into Northerly, and other times towards the Southerly points; which may happen, from the impressions that the changing of the Currents make on the Air, and that on the Exhalations and Winds.

These in the Indian Seas are farre more certain then other Anniversary Winds; yet by reason of various Accidents, they come later in, and otherwhile continue longer, some years then others.

They are chiefly regulated by the Heavenly Motions; changing for the most part under such a Phasis of the moon; and are so farre dedependant on the Sun, that Sir Thomas Herbert in his Travells gives [Page] this account of them.

The Monsoons are Anniversary Winds, which blow constantly one way for so many months; beginning exactly, from the Suns entrance into a sign of the Zodiack; and the other halfe yeare, the contrary way, or till the Sun enter into the Opposite degree: which if Seamen neglect, they goe near to loose their Passage into India.

Their Principall Efficient is the Sun: and though it will be difficult to explain the particular Mode, yet both the Currents and VVinds are most certainly influenc'd by that Soveraign Planet: which alternately resolves the Snows, and bringing Summer with it to either Tropique, attenuates the Clouds and Stagnant Air, which condens'd in the VVinter. [Page] By this means, passing from one Hemisphere to another, and Surveying the Elementary World, allways finds or Provides materialls for the Anniversary finds; which occasions the Monsoons to blow with little variation, at the same seasons of the yeare; especially in the Indian Ocean, where the Currents are more constant, and fewer inequalitys, then in narrower Seas, where they never keepe the same quarter long, but are repercus'd from the Promontorys, and come down in Changeable Puffs, and Eddys of VVind; as both Drake and Candish found in the straights of Magellan; which renders the Passage so very difficult into the South Seas. But were the whole Sublunary Globe of the same equall and [Page] uniforme superficies, wee should have VVinds in most places no lesse constant then the Monsoons, and as regularly govern'd by the course of the Sun. It will be no hard matter to explicate the cause of the Easterly Monsoons; this being the perpetuall course of the Trade-wind all the year round between the Tropiques: But that they afterward revert to the VVest, may possibly be occasion'd from the great Magazine of vapors lodgd about the Island of Madagascar, and the Coasts thereabout; which are reflected from thence by the Advent of the Sun into the Tropique of Capricorne: for VVinds are both the result of rarefaction and condensation also; and the rarify'd vapors not only cause a more [Page] vehement Protrusion of the Air after their dilatation; but being over much compress'd in one quarter, as often by the Elasticall power thereof, beget a Reverse VVind in retiring to their former places: So that there can scarce be a moments rest in the Universe, the Atmosphere being as one continued scene of Action and Passion, that I believe the Air even in the calmest days is almost every where Agitated, at least by some insensible Wind. But thus farre of their distinct Species, and particularly of the Monsoons.

In relation to their Qualities: I before rejected the Hot and Dry Exhalations, as too narrow, and insufficient to resolve the innumerable Phaenomena of VVinds; for they consist no lesse of Omnigenous Vapors,[Page]Salts and Mineralls, with other different species of matter; and we must expect their Qualities to be Various, as they have greater or lesse Allays of such Bodys.

Some of them are Corrosive, others Suffocating and Pestilentiall; they are sometimes Hot, and then Cold from the same Quarter, and so successively capable of all Qualities and Extremes, according to the Diversity of their Constituent parts, or Mediums in which they blow. This might appear from many obvious Experiments: Let them pass thorough a Tunnell or Pipe of a convenient length, but much wider at one end then the other, that it may give free admission to the Air: in the cavity of which strew severall sorts of Aromatics and odorous [Page] herbs, such as Thyme, Roses, Violets, &c. then let it be stuck in the wall of some house expos'd to the open fields, with the larger end obverted to the VVinds, and the lesser so plac'd to conveigh them into the house, (somewhat after the manner of the Italian Ventiducts) and you shall have the whole roome perfumed with a pleasant, and agreable smell: but instead of these, if you put in herbs or mineralls, with Virulent, & Deleterious Qualities; you shall have some complaining of their heads; others seas'd with Lipothymies, and inclin'd to sleepe, when the stupefactive fumes enter together with the VVinds, and surprise the Spirits. The same we may conclude of all such whose component particles [Page] are either noxious in themselves, or make their entry through unwholesome places, which are stord with Antimony, Mercury, or other Putrid and Arsenicall vapors.

I made diverse tryalls of this nature, instead of common Water: I fill'd the Aeolipile with water distill'd from roses, which generated VVinds with a very gratefull Perfume; afterwards, I experimented the same with severall sorts of liquids; I likewise cast in Camphire, and then small shavings of Juniper Wood, into the Aeolipile, that sent out flatulent steams according to the nature of the bodys injected: which makes it evident that the Qualitys of VVinds are oftentimes deriv'd from their Constituent[Page]particles. But as to the Medium through which they passe; I judg'd the use of the Aeolipile by no means suitable to my design in discovering their degrees of heat or cold; the Winds generated therein being actually hot before: so I caus'd to be made a Tinne pipe about 4 foot long, which I fitted to the nose of a pair of bellows, and covering it with a mixture of snow and ice; perceiv'd the. VVind which pass'd through the pipe to be very excessively cold: but because our Organs are not all ways equally dispos'd, nor indeed are they sufficient Criteria, to be rely'd on in such nice cases, I therefore made use of an Hermetically-Seal'd VVeather-glasse; and blowing thereon, found a very visible [Page] alteration in the liquor of the Weather-glasse, which being ventilated from the same bellows wrought no such effect, before the Frigorific mixture was apply'd. I afterward heated the Pipe in the Fire, through which the Winds should passe, and there came forth an exceeding Hot blast. So farre upon all accounts may the Disposition of the Medium influence the Transient Winds.

If wee further enquire upon what account Winds thus farre sympathize with their Mediums: wee must acknowledge it to be no dreame of the Epicureans, that continuall effluviums doe issue from all materiall concretes; And the Winds not only bear off with them those particles which are already [Page] disengag'd from their textures, but help to loosen others; that ther's scarce any Body so solid, which pays them not some tribute as they passe. Those which have made no farre excursions from their Fountains, cannot be much adulterated in the way, and so preserve their first Qualitys entire: But the Travelling Winds, that arrive from remote Countrys, and drive before them different species of Air, and mingle with other Heterogeneous exhalations in their passage, they are at last quite overcome by them; and so farre influenc'd by their long entercourse with the medium, that they almost Universally borrow their Temperament and Propertys from thence. The Winds in Italy which blow over the groves of Myrtle doe often perfume the Air [Page] for many miles; and in those Countrys where the Rosemary grows wild in the fields, the smell thereof has been carry'd a considerable distance from their Coasts. The Levants are accounted Soultry and troublesome in Spain; yet on the shoars of Murcia, where they come off the Mediterranean, they are agreable and pleasant. The Tramontanas at Rome are often more piercing then the sharpest North Winds, either in England or France; because they blow from the Snowy mountains. And I might instance in a remarque out of Captain James. The Southerly Wind was then coldest: the reason I conceive to be, for that it did blow off the Main Land, which was all cover'd with Snow, and the N. Winds came out of the Bay which was hitherto open. [Page] I conclude, that VVinds have more frequently their Qualitys, from the Places or Mediums through which they passe, (or at least from the Fountains that gave them birth) then from the Quarters which are reputed Hot or Cold, or otherwise qualify'd for producing such Winds.

As in Holland, and the lower parts of Germany, they have very often colder weather with the Midland VVinds, though from the South, then with the N. or N. E. which passe over the Sea, and mingle with the tepid vapors of the Ocean. The Southern Blasts to us here in England are accounted noxious and Pestilentiall; but to certain African Provinces, healthfull and Pleasant. The Northerly [Page] are coldest in our European World, and the Southerly on the other side of the Aequinoctiall. For the Arctick and Antarctick VVinds must needs be of the same nature, blowing from either of the Poles, where the cold is equally predominant. So that the Qualitys of many VVinds seeme not so much to respect the Points of the compasse, as the Course of the Sun.

The Eastern Winds according to Aristotle are hot and dry: nor is their Siccity only remarkable in Greece, Palestine, Asia the Lesse, and most parts of Africk, where they make long marches over the parcht and barren sands; but likewise in the more temperate climes of Holland and France; by reason they passe through Poland, Germany, & [Page] other vast tracts of Land; and lastly arriving at our Isle, they can suffer no considerable alteration in their qualitys, by so small a passage over the Narrow Seas.

They are no very welcome guests to us in England, being ominous to our Gardens & Fields, by blasting the corn and fruits. I have known strange destruction done in one Night, when they come late in the spring. Sometimes they not only blite the leaves and blossoms, but kill the Trees with their poysonous breath. They bring after them swarms of Caterpillers, and other devouring insects; or those dry and tabid mists, which corrupt the lungs, and cause Epilepsys, Consumptions, &c. whether by driving before them the putrid [Page] Air from Holland, or however they contract that malignity in their natures. Nevertheless wee can make no Generall conclusions of their propertys from hence, which are chang'd by innumerable acidents. For though in these Countrys of Great Britain, they are inauspicious both to animals and plants: yet in the West Indies, the Eastern Brise is refreshing, and healthfull above all other VVinds. In Arabia and those Asiatique regions they are exceedingly dry, by travelling for many thousand leagues over the sandy desarts; yet Blondus observes them to be rather humid in Italy, and to occasion a relenting in the Air, where they blow immediately from the Adriatique Seas.

[Page] In relation to their degrees of heat, though Aristotle declares they are much hotter then the Westerly, wee find by experience that with us in England, the Easterly are at certain Seasons of the yeare exceeding cold, and very often the most freesing winds, especially if they hang somewhat towards the North.

I need assign no other cause, for the frigidity of the Easterly Winds, then that they have their first rise from the Continent, where the Midland Air is much colder then the Maritime.

The South Winds are generally reputed Hot and Moist, on this side the Line, being heated in their entry through the Torrid Zone; or because they consist not of melted [Page] Snows, as the Northern, but of the Tepid and Sulphury steams from Africk, and other Sunburn'd climes.

They passe over no Seas of any large extent, just crossing the Mediterranean, and British, yet they moisten and relax the Air, and cause wet weather by dissolving the Clouds into rain, which are rather dissipated and blown over by the impetuous Norths.

Yet I think it very irrationall to conclude that all the Southerly, should have their rise from the Torrid; or the Northerly VVinds, from the Frigid Zones. Since it is not unknown to the Curious that in part of Italy and Provence, they have very often Northerly VVinds (rising as is suppos'd from some [Page] places about the Alps) whereof they are not at all sensible in other Countrys of France, through which they must of necessity passe, if they came so farre North. In like manner at Marseilles, and in the Mediterranean, they have oftentimes Southerly VVinds; when they blow from contrary points on the African Continent, which lyes more to the South.

I believe very few of the South Winds here in England ever took a longer flight then from the Mediterranean Sea, or the lower parts of France; and it can scarce be suppos'd that the same Numericall Exhalations could ever travell from between the Tropiques, and not be spent in the way, long er'e they arrive at the British Coasts; [Page] yet happily by protruding the Ambient Air, and that successively the Contiguous to it; the motion may at length be Propagated many hundreds of Miles beyond the reach of those vapors which caus'd the first Agitation. So that it is not impossible, but that a VVind which began neer the Aequinoctiall, may by this means, be continued, even to the Poles of the VVorld. However I shall make no longer digressions concerning their Extent, but proceed to the Qualitys which are vulgarly ascrib'd to the Southerly VVinds.

They are laxative, stupefactive, and pestilentiall; They cause Epilepsies and pains in the head, and were therefore styld [...], by the Grecians: They render men Shaagrin [Page] and melancholy, and in some of the Azores Islands, the children are said to sit dejected and leave their playing when they blow. For first they open the pores of our bodys by their heat, and then insinuate the malignant influences; and the parts being pointed and volatile have not only an easy ingression into our blood, but thaw and unloose the textures of ice and snow: Nay it's most certain, that iron it selfe takes the file much better, when the South Wind blows, then at other times.

They many times cause a farre rougher Sea then the most Tempestuous Winds from the North, Happily because they blow more obliquely, and rake the Surface of the Water; when as the Northerly oftentimes [Page] descend, as from a precipice downwards, which immediately deads and weakens their force.

They magnify visible objects: As our Seamen observe their ships to appeare bigger at a distance, either in misty weather, or when the South Wind blows. For the humid and nebulous vapors of which they consist, distort the visual beams, and by refracting them to the Perpendicular, cause more rays of light to enter into the eye (which makes the object seeme larger) then otherwise would arrive at it in strait lines.

Many who are naturally inclin'd to Stammering in their speech, do find their infirmity evidently worse, when the Wind is toward the South: Probably because the moisture [Page] of the Air, causeth a greater relaxation of the Nervs, and thereby a tremulous and unstable motion of the muscles, at that time. Which perhaps hath more power upon the Vocall muscles, then others, because they lye in the Road, and are more expos'd to the invasions of whatever is breath'd in at the mouth or nostrills, then others are. Whence also wee find the tongue more apt to falter (though somewhat in a different manner) whensoever it is overmuch bedew'd with strong and vaporous liquors.

Smells are said to be most Fragrant in these Winds, when the Air is humid and lax to convey the odoriferous particles. They anticipate the Spring; and cause the trees to blossome, and bud forth before [Page] their time; and by this means exhaust their spirits and nutritive juyce. They damp linnen and paper, though never so carefully guarded from the Air, cause flesh to rot, and upon all accounts hasten putrefaction in bodys.

The Western have been Counted the mildest, & most Auspicious of all others; and were so highly in favour with the Poets, that they thought them worthy of the Golden Age, and to refresh the Elysian groves. They are indeed cherishing to Animals, they cause fertility in the Earth, and paint the flowry meades with all the verdant beautys of the spring. But though the Breathing Zephyrs are so much celebrated in Poems and Romances, and happily were kinder to the delicious [Page] Countrys of Italy, & Greece, yet wee find no lesse malignity in their natures from particular accidents and climats, then what wee have observ'd of other Winds.

In the Isle of Jersy (as I was lately inform'd by an ingenious Gentleman of that place) they Taint and Blast all the plants and trees, except the white poplar (which flourishes best in those Winds) and suffer nothing to grow a good distance from the Western shoare: when the Midland of the Country, and all other parts, even to the Brink of the Ocean, is very fruitfull and universally planted. They have an observation there; when it rises on a suddain instorms, it continu's for 9 days or thereabout.

They blow in this Isle the greatest [Page] part of the year, but chiefly about the Aequinoxes; and particularly in Autumn, when they are very boystrous, having nothing to checque their rage between that and America: and these they call the Michaelmas storms. Beside what is said of this Island, the same effects are known in Normandy, and many parts of our British Coasts, especially towards Cornwal and the Lands End; but they render the Norman shoare inhabitable by reason of the sand they blow over it: where are few or no Trees to be seen neer the Sea, and those very shrubs. When they take a point of the North, they are worst, but not long lasting.

The greatest VVinds which have been known of late years, were [Page] either Westerly or from the Collaterall points between the West and North. One about the Death of Oliver Cromwell: And another famous for demolishing so many houses and buildings which in diverse places it levell'd to the ground. It did considerable Damage to most of the Colleges in Oxon: blew down two and twenty Elms in the Grove of Trin. Coll. and severall of the strongest Fabricks in England Scap't not without some marks of it's violence. For many of those houses, which either by their strength or situation, were able to resist it's furious assaults, lost their roofs, or had their chimnys and barns blown down. But that which makes it still memorable in most parts of the Kingdome, [Page] was the great numbers of Trees, and sturdy Oaks that fell in this Tempest. You might see the Spoiles of the Villages and woods all the Country round. An event, scarce to be paralleld in the former Age; and which would require a large History to transmit all the particulars thereof to posterity.

The Westerly Winds are oftentimes thus Tempestuous in England and Flanders; which receive their first efforts from the wide Seas, where they bring terrible storms; sometimes Snow, and then in large Flakes; but usually in the spring time rain: especially the S. W. which are the most Humid and Pluvious, because they travell by Sea many thousand miles, and must needs wet their [Page] wings in so long a flight or'e the Western Ocean. By some writers they are esteem'd Gelid and Moist; but with us they are warmer then the East or North: either because they consist of the tepid vapors and Air, which are heated by the declining Sun; or that being Sea-Winds they are therefore generally hotter in the Temperate Zones, then those which blow off the Land.

Lastly: the Northerly Winds, in these parts of Europe, are accounted Cold and Dry: by reason they arrive from the Frigid climats of the North, and consist for the most part of resolv'd snows and ice.

They cause a sude and serene sky dispersing the Clouds; wherefore Boreas in Homer is styl'd [...] Serenator Boreas: yet in Africa [Page] they cause rain, and are moyster then the South; which according to the complexion of those Countrys, has a greater degree of siccity and heat.

In some places of Holland & Flanders, where they gather the vapors from the German or Scotish Seas, the N. Winds often bring with them Cloudy and wet weather. And wee have known as great falls of rain here in England; the VVind being at N. and N. E. but then it usually continued at S. or S. W. for some days before. So I have supected, that those vapors & Clouds, which were gather'd, and blown over by the Southerly, were afterward reduc'd back again by the Northerly VVinds.

They render the Northern men [Page] vegete and healthfull, to extreme old age, by hindring the exilition of the spirits; when as the Africans are old at 40, where the continuall heat opens the pores, and suffers the vitall flame to transpire.

That which makes the Fortunate Islands truly so, is the kind salute from the Northern VVinds, after they have been somewhat heated in their progresse towards the South.

The gates of Citys, in the opinion of the wisest Architects, ought always to be directed towards the North; and the situation of Tornay in Flanders is celebrated by Fromundus upon that account. Hippocrates prescrib'd the N. Wind as the greatest Antidote against the plague in Greece: and Varro is said to have preserv'd his whole family during [Page] the raging plague at Corcyra, by stoping up the windows towards the South, and giving free admission to the Northern Air. Yet one of the Ancient Phycitians gives a worse Character of the Northerly Winds: That they cause acute pains, and defluxions from the head to the Stomack: Breed the Stone, and stop the passages of the Ureters. hinder the Transpiration of those peccant juyces which nature endeavours to throw off from the Blood; and produce many more distempers which are reckon'd the effects of Siccity or cold. They are searching and Astringent; scarce to be endur'd by those who have infirme habits of body, and yet agreable to healthfull and robust constitutions. Sir Walter Raleigh [Page] in his voyage to Guiana takes notice that neer the Coast of Brasil, they had one half of the yeare Northerly, and in the other part Southerly VVinds; And further towards the South in the Kingdomes of Magellana and Chili, they have them the whole year round Southerly; which raign most in the Tropique of Capricorn, as the North Winds at Island, and those Countrys which lye neere the North Pole; especially in the VVinter, so that the Hollanders which winter'd in Nova Zembla, during the whole time, had Northerly Winds. Thus the Sun, as he approaches either of the Tropiques, subtiliseth the Air, driving away the grosser Exhalations into the Frigid Zones, where they are laid up in vast Magazines till [Page] winter; but then the spaces being able to contain no more, they Circulate again to the middle of the World. For the Solar motions, being excentricall to the Earth, cause so unequall a distribution of heat & cold, that the Air must of necessity be denser in some parts then others; and consequently lyable to the frequent disturbance of VVinds: and the vapors, according to the distinct seasons of the yeare, being continually either retiring from the Poles, or on their voyage thither, the Sun, as Prince of the Atmosphere, obliges them to a motion no lesse constant then his own: Insomuch that neither These, or indeed any other VVinds, are so fortuitous as many suppose, but proceed from regular causes, and are guided [Page] by the certain conduct of nature, though happily the manner of it may not be fully understood by us.

The Norths are often exceedingly impetuous on the shoars of Florida and Virginia, taring up Forrests of vast Trees by the roots, and wasting the whole Country like Hurracanes. They blow very hard toward the Orcades and on that side the British Coasts. But they must needs be very sensible of their effects in Finmark & Russia which lye more expos'd to their fury. The Bishop of Upsal in two Chapters [De Vehementiâ Venti Circii. Lih. 1. De Gent. Sept. & De Vent. Sept. Violentiâ] informes us of many disasters, which happen by them in Norway and Island: particularly, that at the Port call'd Vestrabord, [Page] the N. E. VVind blows with such vehemence that it dismounts the Horsemen, and Souldiers, driving them away before it. On the Western shoars of Norwey, it suffers not so much as a tree or the least shrub to grow, that the Inhabitants are forc'd (if you believe our Author) to roast their meat with fire made of great fishes Bones. And in Bothnia, and that part of Norwey which they call Vichia, the Northern Whirlewinds are so terrible, that they carry away the roofs of their houses, and of the Churches which are cover'd with lead, blowing away great beams and rafters, removing Windmills, stones, and even Castles, and Villages from one place to another. If this be an Author suspected, [Page] the Annals of our own Country will furnish us with relations of the same nature, which would require as large a share of credulity to believe them, if the rage of these Tempestuous Winds was not sufficiently understood in most parts of Europe, though happily in remoter Climates, which are less acquainted with the great Disturbers of the Northern World, they might seem fabulous. Some of which are solemny recorded in our Historys, that even exceed the Hurracanes of the West Indies. Yet I have heard, that those Winds, which we count very great stormes here in England, would be thought no wonder in Scotland, where they are accustomed to these violent Blasts; and for this reason build their houses universally [Page] with stone, exceeding thick, low, and with narrow windows. But not to be prolix in their History; we might offer at the cause whence this strang vehemence and impetuosity of the N. VVinds does proceed. Shall we say from the great quantity of exhalations laid up in the Treasuries of the North? or because they find the resistence lesse toward the South, where the Atmosphere is rarified by the heat of the Sun, so that they glide without opposition through the yeilding Air, especially in the day time, wherefore the aforesaid Northerly Winds are observ'd to blow harder by day then night.

They are more Sonorous then other Winds, because they rage with greater violence, and so make [Page] a stronger collision of the Air.

I have thus farre considerd their nature in the remoter parts of Europe, where they are nearest their Source: But after they have made a long Progresse Southwards, and are heated in their approaches towards the Sun, we find them in Africk to be farre different from what they were in Norwey or Island; and their qualityes no lesse various then the Temperature of the Heavens. So likewise in America, (and as Acosta observs more particularly of some Countrys in Peru,) the Northerly Wind is counted unwholesome, and the Southerly extremely cherishing to men and beasts: The first is not penetrating nor disperses clouds, as among us, but causes rain: and the South Wind is just qualify'd in [Page] those climes as the North is in our country's that lye nearer the Arctic Pole: Nay, not only comparatively to different situations, and places, but the judgment to be made concerning the Qualitys of Winds, from the Quarters whence they blow, is very various and fallible, in relation to one and the same Latitude. Many of the hardest frosts, which have happend in England, began with a Southerly wind, (and then commonly are the more lasting and violent) which nevertheless is generally much hotter then any other, which arrives at the British coasts.

I took notice, no longer since then the 11 of January last: that in the morning we had much rain (the wind being N. and N. E.) which [Page] ceasing about noon, there followed, first a showre of haile, and then a considerable fall of snow (the wind still continuing at N. and N. E.) which was the most part of it dissolv'd by 3 or 4 in the afternoon: then the VVind vering to full South, it froze exceedingly hard for the time. So little certainty is there in observations of this nature, that we had Rain with a Northerly, and Frost with a Southerly VVind in the same day. And not only thus, but it appear'd by the Weatherglasse, to which I had recourse upon this occasion, that there was a very suddain mutation in the Air from heat to cold, when the Wind came about to the South, more then in the morning while it continued at N. and N. E.

[Page] VVee must expect these so different Qualifications of VVinds, to happen even in the same Climate: since not only the Variety of their Component Particles, and the Fountains which gave them birth; but either the Cutting down Forrests; Draining of Fenns: Changing the Currents of great rivers: Their Vicinity or Distance from the Course of the Sun: whether they blow off from Land or Sea, or Snowy Mountains; and a thousand extraneous accidents are sufficient to alter the Properties of Winds.

Neither are the laws of their Motions reducible to such certain rules, as [...]. Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 6. Aristotle pretends; That two Opposites alwaies blow at Contrary Seasons of the [Page] year: As the N. W. about the Vernall, and the S. W. at the Autumnall Aequinox: and it would likewise be examin'd whether the same Contrariety happen constantly between the Solstitiall Winds. Others have observ'd, that wee commonly feel a a S. Wind at midnight, an Easterly at the Rising, and a Westerly after the Setting of the Sun; and last of all, a Northerly about Noon, when the Solar rays are most powerfull to resolve the grosser mists and clouds in the North. For VVinds, being for the generality, Nothing but Dilated Vapours or Air, they almost wholly depend on the Presence of the Sun, at least are generated from the heat left behind him in the Earth and Waters. VVhereupon De-Cartes ingeniously remarks, that [Page] wee should have no such Variety in the Qualities and Production of Winds; if the whole Terraqueous Globe were of one uniforme superficies: as wee may perceive that in wide Seas, their motions are farr less irregular then by Land; since the great diversity of Climates, Mountains, and Lakes, varies them exceedingly.

I have thus farr discours'd of the 4 Principall: the Collaterall or Intermediate VVinds (if any right judgment could be made of their natures from the Quarters whence they blow) might be suppos'd Hot, Dry, Moist &c. as they are farther remov'd, or hang nearer towards the Cardinal Point. But we are like to expect little satisfaction from the generality of writers concerning [Page] the temperature of VVinds: For who can with patience hear the impertinence of those Notionall men, that enquire no further, but declare? That the South Wind is allways Hot and Moist: the North, Cold and Dry: the West &c. which obliges us in the following discourses, to offer at some more accurate account of their Qualitys, and the most Universall causes from whence they proceed.

First: VVinds are Moist; either because their Constituent parts are made up of Vapid and Aqueous corpuscles, such as rain, dews, watry Clouds: or by reason they make long Voyages by Sea, or over great Lakes, Morish Countrys & Fenns; and so are tainted with the Qualitys of the Medium through which [Page] they passe. Those which proceed from Melted Snows, have some small allay of the Terrene, but approach neerer the Moist.

The Siccity of VVinds is from their Saline, and Terrestriall parts: or that arriving from those Parc'ht and Torrid regions neer the Line, they are exsiccated as they travell by the Ways of the Sun.

I shall not dispute whether this has been cautiously enough minded by most writers, How many nice circumstances are to be consider'd in judging the Qualitys of VVinds; and how difficult it is, to make a just Estimate of their severall degrees of Heat and Cold. For there must not only be especiall regard had to the Temperament of our Senses, but to the Climes in which [Page] they blow; and seasons of the year; Since those which would seem hot at Christmas comparatively to the winter Cold, should the same happen in July, when wee had been long accustom'd to a different temperature of our Organs and the Ambient Air, would undoubtedly appeare exceedingly Cold. Then wee denominate VVinds either Gelid or Hot, in respect of those that usually blow in such Climats: as the Southern Blasts with us here in England (though they are Colder then the Ambient Air) may be reputed Hot, comparatively to the N. or N. E. which are much more refrigerative in these parts of the VVorld. Thus wee ought not rashly to make judgment of their Qualitys: but first [Page] consider what Symptoms of Heat, they betray in relation to Weather-glasses, or the Winds that commonly blow in such Countrys: as likewise, what mutations happen by them in the Temperature of the Air: And afterwards compare all these Circumstances with the present disposition of our Organs, least wee determine concerning the positive Qualitys of VVinds, from only the Prejudices, and Hallucinations of Sense.

There are severall Causes Productive of Heat: As their passage through Hot Regions; Or because they consist of the ignite and suffocating Air, which infests the Burning Zone; where the whole Masse is corrupted with such intolerable heats, that the Winds which are [Page] either generated therein, or only pervade the Torrid regions, must needs, for some time, retain their temperament and Qualitys: till at length they loose them in long voyages, and the calorifique particles languish and dwindle away by degrees, being oppres'd with multitudes of Heterogeneous exhalations in their course. Then, I think it not improbable, but that the Solar rays, or whatever parcells beside of the Subtil and Aetheriall matter, may by mingling with them, actually advance the heat of VVinds. And Lastly: The ignite Damps such as wee sometimes discover in Colepits and Mines, and all other of the Minerall and Metalline Kingdomes, that finding no Vent, cause Earthquakes in the [Page] Bowells thereof, if they escape through the Pores of the Earth, occasion Presters and Hot VVinds: And those fiery eruptions, which in many places of Calabria and Sicily, are continually breathing out from the Subterraneall Regions, must needs diffuse the seminals of heat through the whole body of the Air and VVinds; especially, such as come reaking from under Burning Mountains; or at least are the results of those Calorifique mixtures by which some Mineralls and salts, fermenting together in the Cavitys of the Earth, emit Hot fumes: Like severall Chymicall preparations, such as Oyl of Tartar and spirit of Vitriol, which cause a strange Ebullition and Heat by their commistion only. And if [Page] wee suppose any thing Analogous to these under ground (where Nature in her own Elaboratory often exceeds the greatest Sagacity of Art) why may not the Tepid Steams and Vapors that ascend from thence, be able to produce so considerable a degree of Heat in the Air, that might occasion Scorching Winds? And happily the Rancounters of Certain Mineralls with each other, in those Passages where the VVaters flow, may likewise by their mutuall ferments, be the most probable cause of many Hot Baths & Springs. Neverthelesse Fromundus, & some other Naturalists of late, in the Number of which wee may reckon our Countryman Mr. Hobs, affirme that all VVinds whatever doe actually refrigerate, [Page] and oftentimes so intensly, that they prove the fittest instruments for the Congelation of Liquids: And I must confesse, it seldome falls under our observation, that in any parts of Europe, the VVinds are comparatively hotter then our Sensories, or the Ambient Air; yet in many Provinces of Afric & Arabia, but most of all near the Persian Gulf, where they come just off from the Burning Sands, they are intolerably hot and suffocating: as appears from the Relations of the Portugalls first Voyages to the East Indies, where they felt Gales of the E. and N. E. Wind so Hot, that the Air seem'd to be inflam'd and scorching like fire. So likewise Gasparo Balbi in his Travells speaks of four persons, that weary'd [Page] in their Journy, sat down near the Banks of Euphrates to refresh themselves a while, and were all stifled by one of these Hot Winds. And wee have a more surprising Narrative from Marcus Polo: that, when the King of Chermain sent an Army of 16 Hundred horse, and 5 thousand foot against the Lord of Ormus, for not paying his Tribute, they all perisht by these Suffocating Blasts. But if wee distrust the integrity of these writers, Olearius in his Voyage to Persia, describes the intemperature of the Air in those Countrys to be such; that with the North or East Wind they felt a Cold which depriv'd them of their Limbs, and on the Contrary the S. Winds were ready to choak them with the extremity of heat. But Della Valle, a [Page] Nobleman of Rome (whose Curiosity led him through most of the Eastern Kingdomes) reports, ‘that towards Arabia there was a VVind so scorching and Dry, that it left behind it like marks of Fire, wherever it came; and the excessive Heat forc'd them to keep their legs naked, which became so red and inflam'd, that without the greatest Torment, they could not endure to set them on the ground.’ In some places of the Country, these Soultry Gales last from 9 in the morning, till noon; which are ready to stifle the inhabitants, and blowing immediately from the Scorching Sands, the people many times lye in the water to rescue themselves from the intolerable Heats. Della Valle [Page] says, that they are call'd in the Annalls of Persia, Bad Semum, i. e. Burning and Venemous VVinds.

I have heard the like relations from many of our Sea Captains, who trade on the Arabian or African Coasts: so that I think Mr. Hobs or any other of the Modern Naturallists had little reason to question the Heat of some Winds: though in these parts of the world, where they travell not over such Sandy Desarts, and are more remov'd from the ways of the Sun, they are more sensibly Cold.

By Gelid Winds, I understand those which are colder then our Sensories, or the Ambient Air. This Frigidity may happily proceed from the Nitrous particles of which they consist, or whatever body else [Page] wee reckon to be the Primum Frigidum; Or because they have their Origine in those Caverns under the Earth, where the Sun beams never penetrate, and no Subterraneall warmth is to be found. Monsieur De Cartes averrs that all Boistrous Winds, from whatever point of the Compasse they blow, Meteor. cap. 2. are Universally Cold and Dry: and wee find that any sort of Air violently mov'd by a Fanne or Bellows, does refrigerate; so that the Cold of Winds may somewhat depend on their motion, or manner of affecting our Senses. And since the Cartesians will allow Cold to be no positive Quality of it self, but a mere Privation of Heat: then, either the absence of their Subtil matter may cause the Frigidity [Page] of Winds; or else the occasion thereof must be this, that they passe thorough the Gelid Regions which are never visited by the Sun Beams. For as Those which come from Aethiopia and other parts of the Torrid Zone, doe imbibe the Heat, and Sympathise with the nature of the places from whence they come; so questionlesse the other that consist of, or drive before them, the grosse and Frigorifique Air from Groenland and other Northern Climates, must needs have considerable allays of the Mediums through which they passe. And within the Polar Circles, the absence of the Solar rays for so many Months, do's sufficiently conduce to the Production [Page] of Cold; since the Sun which us'd to correct the rigour and inclemency of the weather, is now banisht from their Horizon, and the Air become Chill and Torpid by the long Predominance of the Cold. So that the VVinds must of necessity admit of very considerable alterations in their passage: and whether or no they consist of Frigorifique particles; yet by their commerce and enterfering with the Gelid Regions, they may draw, I know not what, Contagion from thence: As appear'd in the foremention'd Experiment, how much the mixture of Snow and Ice, only by applying it to the outside of the bellows, did soon infrigidate the Transient VVinds. For I am not sufficiently [Page] convinc'd, that Cold VVinds, proceed always from Nitre, Sal Armaniac, or other Frigorifique Corpuscles; But sometimes only appeare so to us, by their particular Motions on our Sensories: As wee see any Air Ventilated from Fanns or Bellows, or our own breath darted with a very vehement impulse from the Mouth, appears Frigid; which if wee exhale gaping, and in another position of the lips, is rather sensibly Hot.

Thus if VVinds may be styl'd Cold from a simple Privation of Heat, and if only the want of some Subtil Matter, the absence of the Sun, or other Calorifique Corpuscles, will resolve the severall Phaenomena wee commonly ascribe to cold; this will be sufficient to constitute [Page] the Refrigerative Winds; which may better be explain'd in this manner, then by the Positive Qualitie of the Peripatetiques, or the Nitrous, and other Frigorifique particles of the Atomists, and Corpuscularian Philosophers. I shall only add one circumstance out of the Honourable Mr. Boyl, concerning the causes of cold Winds. I have supected some Winds may be Cold only by consisting of, or driving before them, those higher parts of the Air, that by reason of the longuid reflexion of the Sun beams in the Upper Region, is for the most part Cold.

Yet, as I before declar'd, wee often commensurate the Qualities of Winds, not only from their Constituent Particles, or their just degrees of Frigidity or Heat, but sometimes [Page] because they are warmer then the Ambient Air, or the Winds that usually blow in such Climats; or at leastwise then those membranes or Sensorys, by which wee judge them. The VVinds which blow off from Sea, are farre Hotter then those which come from Land. May not the Collucent Salts, which create such a sparkling and Coruscation in Tempests, or other vehement Collision of the waves, be able to produce some heat in the Air and VVinds, being either actuall Flames or at least making those impressions on our Sensory's as if they were? Neverthelesse, since wee find by experience that these kind of Salts, with which the Sea water is impregnated, doe neither rise up in vapors, nor being mingled [Page] with liquids, any way advance their Heat; May there not be other Calorifick Effluviums (like the hot Steams in Colepits and Mines) that ascend from the bottome of the Sea, yet cannot so easily perspire through the solider Superficies of the Earth; which renders the Maritime Regions and VVinds hotter then the Midland? But whatever be the cause, it is most evident that all over Europe, the winters are generally milder in Islands then many places in the Continent which lye nearer the Sun. As in England then France; nay Scotland, though it be situate so farre North, has seldome more keen and piercing Frosts then Paris, or some Citys of Italy, which are infested with Terrestriall Winds. So likewise [Page] part of Asia, as in China where it runs to the Southwards of Spain, the winters are most excessively cold: & in the 42 degree of Latitude, they have ice which lasts 3 or 4 Months together, by reason of the Land Winds. For this cause New England, though it lyes not so farre distant from the Aequator, is incomparably colder then any parts of Great Britain. And at Virginia, as I have been inform'd, the Land Winds oftentimes surprise them with such an Exceding sharp Air, that one would think it impossible there should be those extreames of Heat and Cold in the same day. So on the Coasts of Carolina and Florida, where they have for the most part Midland Winds, the Colds are intolerable considering their no great [Page] distance from the Sun. When as the Sea-Brise in most parts of Europe, is temperate and mild: I have heard, that in the Isle of Jersy, the Myrtles, will live abroad all winter, being cherisht on every side, with the tepid vapors from the Sea; and that little ice they have is soon gone. It's also observable neare the Sea side here in England, as in the County of Cornwall, that the Snow is generaly melted in lesse then a weeks space, and the Frosts not so lasting as elsewhere: Shall wee say the acrimony of the Sea vapors soon dissolves the textures of the ice and Snow, or that they choak up and repell those Frigorifique Corpuscles, which are as the Coagulum to cement, and knit together the parts of liquids? So likewise [Page] on the Coasts of Ireland, the Complexion of the Air is much Hotter then in many other places of the same Latitude: and were it not environ'd with the Ocean, who would think Island inhabitable, that lyes directly under the Polar Circle?

Yet this holds good only in the Temperate Zones: for in the Torrid, the Sea-Brise is refrigerative, and abating the excesse of heat; And contrariwise on the African Continent the Land-Winds, which travell o're the Burning Sands, allmost suffocate the miserable inhabitants, which are roasted into Skeletons, and sometimes loose their Hearing and Sight by the immoderate Heat: Yet in part of Guiny, where the Neighbouring mountains [Page] defend them from the Easterly Winds, & suffer the cool Sea-Brise, to blow upon their Coasts, how wonderfully are their Spirits reviv'd with the delightfull gale? But though the Levants are so pernicious, when they come reaking off from the Sandy VVilderness, yet being Refrigerated in a long passage o're the Pacifique Ocean, at the Caribbes, and the American Continent, they become the coolest of all VVinds, and the greatest blessing which Providence could ever bestow on the New World, to allay the otherwise insufferable heats of the Torrid Zone: Only part of Peru, though the Soyl be of it selfe fertile, and enrich't with all the bountys of Nature, yet on this side the Mountains, the Land-Winds [Page] render it sterill and unfruitfull; when as Brasile enjoys a more Temperate Heaven, being bedew'd with the reflreshing Brise from the Adjacent Ocean.

From these severall instances it appears, that the Land-Winds must needs be more intensely Heated, between the Tropiques, then in these parts of the VVorld, that lye so farre distant from the course of the Sun; And the Earth, being a dense body, retaines the Calorifique impressions; when as the volutation of the waves so often changes the Superficies of the water, that the same parts of the Ocean are not always expos'd to the Celestiall Beams: And though it must be acknowledg'd that neare the Aequinoctiall, the Surface of the Earth, [Page] and consequently the Winds that blow over it, are much warmer then in the Neighbourhood of the Poles; yet without dispute the Ocean also is proportionably as much Hotter then our Seas; And though the Sea-Winds seeme Refrigerative with them, which rather betray very great Symptoms of Heat in these Countrys; yet I question whether this, in some measure, may not be understood Comparatively to the disposition of our Sensories, and that of the Ambient Air. For, their Blood and Spirits being farre more agitated then ours, and also accustom'd to a Climate excessively Hot; they must of necessity have different Perceptions from us, who live in the Colder Regions of the VVorld.

[Page] But beside these Vulgar or Elementary Qualities of VVinds, they have almost infinite Variety in their Natures, according to the severall Subjects they can operate upon; and their Propertys are various, as the different impressions which they make upon other Bodys. For those which are Corrosive, in reference to iron, or stone, may prove Pestilentiall to men; and one and the same Quality have one denomination, as it relates to Beasts, a second to Birds, and a third to Insects, according to the different Capacities of the Recipient. Some Winds are observed to raise strange disturbances, and (as it were) Convulsions in Swine. And those who keep Silk-worms, are said to shut their Windows, and protect them from the South-Wind, [Page] which causes their sicknes and death; but readily expose them to the North, which conduces as much to their vigour and health. So that we can never pretend to a perfect knowledge of their Qualities, unless we understood their relations to all other bodies in the World.

But among the wonders of Winds, we must not pass by the Harmatans of Guiny; which, for the time they blow, cause Wainscoats and Planks to open and gape, making wide chasms in the most solid and imporous wood. I could insert many testimonies of this nature from credible persons; severall who lived in those Countries, and not a few of our Seamen, have been witnesses of their strange effects: I shall instance in one relation [Page] which was communicated to me by Captain Peachy, who was long employd in the African Trade by the Royall Company.

‘The Harmetan VVinds, so called by the Natives, come but once a year, constantly in December about Christmas; and bring a very unwholsome Vapour.’

‘Their arrivall is for the most part at the East, and they go no farther then the E. N. E. their continuance is 4 or 5 days, not blowing hard, but with an easy gale: the Natives are full of Aches and Pains in these times, and care not for stirring out of doors.’

‘The Trees that are standing, during their continuance, will open, that you may put in your knife and sheath: so will the [Page] boards of the floors, when as before there was nothing seen, and after they are gone, they close up again to their wonted place.’

This may proceed from their extreme Siccity, when they blow off the Sands, in that exceeding Hot Climate; as wee see boards chop and gape, that are kept over dry; and more in Chambers or Cock-lofts, then lower rooms; and so likewise most sorts of wood, by lying long in the Sun, which exhausts their moysture: The known remedy in such cases, is, to soak them thoroughly in water, by which means, they oftentimes swell again into their former dimensions: so possibly may the trees, and planks in Guiny, when the Harmetans are gone, and some Moyster [Page] VVind succeeds, which brings with it a more Humid and relenting Air. VVee have observ'd effects of this nature in some of our very Drying March-VVinds; and therefore the workers of Musicall Instruments commonly chuse to dry their materials at that time of the yeare; which, as they think, renders them more resounding & harmonious.

I have not as yet had sufficient opportunity to satisfy my selfe in one Curious enquiry which belongs to the History of VVinds: only, thus much I have heard, that, when a certain VVind blows at Florence, the weavers of the finest silks leave off their work; finding by experience that it quite spoyles the Oriency & Brightness of their Colours; so that they can by no diligence or [Page] invention seclude it out of their work-houses, to hinder the ill effects thereof. It is a cold Wind, perhaps blowing off from the Snowy Hills, where it gathers those corroding Salts, which alter the texture of the superficiall parts; and by causing new modifications of light, change the colours of silks. As the richest and most florid dyes of Scarlet are not only soon faded in a showre of rain, but it has been observ'd, that they suffer prejudice, and loose somewhat of their lustre, if they be worne much in misty weather: and so possibly certain species of Air or Winds, may be able to make the like kind of impressions on those Florentine silks.

VVee find by experience that some VVinds produce very odd [Page] effects in many sorts of Animals and Plants; and others convey into the Air spirits so subtil and penetrating, which dissolve the hardest of Metals. That inquisitive Jesuit, in his Naturall History of the West Indies, gives us an account of the iron grates, which in those parts were so much rusted and consum'd with the Winds, that by only pressing them between your fingers they dissolv'd into Powder. VVhich has likewise been observ'd of the Air about London (whether from those Corrosive salts, or the great quantity of Sulphur contain'd in the Seacoale) that it does not only spoyl Tapistrys, and beds, tarnish the most polisht silver plate, fowl linnen and paper, and sully all sorts [Page] of Household-stuffe, with it's Fuliginous steams, but has a very sensible operation on the Iron or Brasse in their Chimnies and Windows; which it corrupts, and causes to rust much sooner then in the Country. I shall not undertake to Philosophise concerning the cause of the former Phaenomenon, unlesse wee were better acquainted with the situations of those places in the West Indies: Only wee are sufficiently inform'd, that in some of the American Kingdomes, the Earth exhales very noxious vapours, that occasion a strange contagion in the Air; though impartiall Nature has recompenc'd this inconvenience with many blessings which the Old World did never enjoy: In the plains of Peru they have a [Page] VVind which kills men (if wee may give credit to the Spanish writers) without the least sense of pain and afterwards by it's extreme Subtlety and cold, preserves them from Putrefaction. Since the first discovery of Almagro, great numbers of persons have been found dead in those Desarts; some lost their feet and hands, that were rotted by these Virulent Blasts, which happend to the Generall Costilla, and many others of the Christians who travelled into those parts: Insomuch that the Spanyards, who formerly us'd to passe over the Plains between Peru and Chile, rather undertake a laborious voyage by the Sea-side, then hazard the disasters which they might otherwise expect from these VVinds. [Page] But, I insist not upon instances, for which wee have no further evidence of truth, then the credit of the relators: yet we must suppose that there is quite another Face of Nature in those remote Climates; therefore wee ought not to explode all things as false, that are only different from such observations, to which we have been accustom'd in these parts of the world.

The Winds neare Serra di Lyone, where the Neighbouring Mountains abound with many putrid & Sulphureous exhalations, breath out in such venemous Blasts, that they breed Pestilentiall Feavers, and other diseases in the inhabitants. So very considerable are their influences, not only in other regards, but to the benefit, or prejudice of Human[Page]life; For a kind Temperature of the Heavens, Serene Air, and wholesome VVinds, which is the Atmosphericall dyet, are full as necessary to the Health & welfare of Mankind, as good meat or Drinke.

Those likewise which have their Origines from such Subterraneall Caverns, that exhale noxious Fumes, like the Killing Damps in deep pits or Mines, must needs by this means, mingle a great allay, and adulterate the purity of the Air, when the virulent particles are carry'd and disperst by the Winds: what can wee expect but a Mortall and unwholesome vapour from such places, as the Denne of Charon near Naples, where the deadly venom transpires insensibly through the pores of the Earth, and suffocates [Page] all Animals that enter at the mouth of the Cave. Empedocles, by stopping up one of these Poisonous Caverns, and hindring the Eruption of the Winds from thence, is said to have cur'd an Epidemick sicknes which they had occasion'd in all the Citys thereabout, whereupon in Plutarch he was afterward styl'd [...]: And in all other recesses under * [...]. ground, where the Pregnant womb of the Earth is stor'd with so many severall sorts of Minerals, & Salts, if they ascend from thence, they must needs fill the Atmosphere with as great diversity of vapours: And therefore those VVinds, which are generated in the Sulphureous soil of Puteoli, smell of brimstone a great distance from thence; & those [Page] which come from infected places, propagate the contagion, and bring death along with the infectious Air.

Thus wee see VVinds are not all vested with the same Qualities, nor alike friendly, or injurious to Human life; but they sometimes are replete with those Arsenicall and Deleterious Corpuscles, that convey into our blood the seeds of diseases; and otherwhile with such agreable juices, that recreate and cherish our spirits, and contribute to longevity and Health.

But the wonderfull effects of Winds are more obvious to reason, then perceptible by the justest criteriums of sense; since the invisible Agents are diffus'd every where; and the Air is as the common Vehicle, or [...] of all things, where [Page] so many different sorts of Saline and Minerall spirits are continually Floating, and driven to and fro in the Atmosphere: So that, I believe much of that Naturall Magic, by which distant Bodys act upon each other (though wee usually ascribe it to Occult Qualities, or certain Sympathies and Antipathies in matter) to proceed from no other cause then the secret operations of Winds: For they are the Carriers of the Universe, and transport from one place to another, odors, diseases, fertilising Salts, the seeds of Animals and Plants, and most other things, of which wee can give no account how they came there; as vegetables, that spring on the tops of houses, or those which are observ'd to grow on the walls of Castles, & [Page] Ancient Theaters; nay sometimes whole Groves and vast Forrests have at first had no other Planters then the VVinds.

But to attempt a full collection of all their Properties and Effects, must be the work of Posterity; which possibly may require many ages e're it be brought to Perfection: And to complete the many Desiderata of this Phaenomenon in an Universall History of VVinds (For we have only the Out-lines of this vast Design in Sir Francis Bacon) it would be adviseable to make an exact Table or Ephemeris, for many years together, and so dayly compare the observations of their Prognostiques, the Quarters whence they blow, their Duration and Properties; how farre they agree or [Page] differ from what has been already delivered in Books. Many of this nature are set down by the Lord Verulam, but for the most part collected out of Aristotle and Pliny, though with lesse improvement then might have been expected from that illustrious person. However, since the Learned World has been so long impos'd on by Tradition; we ought, in the first place, to be throughly informed concerning all matters of Fact, and afterward consider to what Hypothesis they may best relate: and because That must be the result of long experience, and observation, I can only commend this Province to those curious Persons, who have leisure, either to make such new Discoveries of their own, or detect the Vulgar Errors of former [Page] Times.

It should first be examin'd what influences they have upon Human Bodies; in relation to their Sickness or Health: and those who are inclin'd to Gowts, Catarrhes, infirmities in the Sight, distempers of the Lungs, Epilepsies, Deafness, &c. might be able to collect observations of this nature; what inconvenience they are sensible of from any sort of VVinds.

Those celebrated Aphorisms of Hippocrates concerning their Medicinall Qualities, ought to be considered; how farr they are found Experimentally true and consonant to the observations of the Moderns: For if we rightly understood the different Temperatures of the Air, and VVinds, and how to apply [Page] this remedy to many distempers, it might possibly prove the most succesfull part of Physick.

Next, as to the Diversities which arise from the Quarters whence they blow: whether the East and North betray not in these Countries continuall Symptoms of Siccity and Cold; and the South and West, of Heat and Moisture. Likewise, as to their effects upon Animals; Since the South has a thousand Malignant influences; and, according to our English Proverb, The Wind at East, is neither good for man nor beast. Then, which of them are most agreable, or inauspicious, to the Vegetable life; what observations of this nature can be drawn from Agriculture, and Gardening? which are those VVinds that are most favourable [Page] to the Sowing and ripening of Corn, or most pernicious for breeding worms in plants, or for blasting and destroying their fruits.

VVhat directions this Doctrine might afford to Architects, in choosing the Situations of Dwellings: whether the Air of many houses might not be meliorated by giving a freer admission to the Winds; since it has been observ'd, that severall Dwellings here in England, which were environ'd with huge woods, or sometimes had only a clump of trees standing towards such a Quarter, have been always obnoxious to sicknes, till they happen'd to be cut down, and the places render'd pervious to the Winds: Sometimes only the changing of a window, or door, from the [Page] South, and exposing it to the North, has done as great a cure. It is well observ'd in the Relation of my Lord Howards voyage to Constantinople, that, at Vienna they have frequent Winds, which if they cease long in the Summer, the plague often ensues; so that it is now grown into a Proverb: that, if Austria be not Windy, it's subject to Contagion.

In the next place, what advancement might be expected from hence to the Art of Navigation. Since, I am confident that more ships perish, by our ignorance of the Winds & Currents, then by any other Disaster which happens on the Seas: If the Masters of ships were oblig'd to give in Journals of their voyages to all parts of the world; and these for many [Page] years compar'd with each other, we should not only be able to collect a Complete History of the Trade Winds, and Monsoons, and their variations in the severall Latitudes and Meridians, (which would be of very great importance) but should find, that there are many Anniversary Tempests which might be very certainly foretold by the Seasons of the yeare, and Provision made accordingly; Beside other usefull Circumstances of the Annuall Motions, and Reversions of the Seas, according to the Declination of the Sun (which hitherto most of our Seamen have thought to proceed purely from chance) might be reducible to so regular observations, that, beside the great improvements which would redound [Page] from hence to Philosophy, & all Naturall Knowledge; it would be of no small advantage to the interest of Trade and Navigation. This noble Art is worthy of Philosophers and Mathematicians, and the Mechanical part ought to be esteem'd the least, that should accomplish a skilfull Seaman. So that, men of letters ought not to dispise this, as a rude and illiberall profession; to which we must be beholding for the most considerable Discoveries of Nature.

Then, as to their Continuance or Succession: It has been noted that if the VVinds change conformably to the Motion of the Sun; as from the East to the South, from the South to the West, &c. they seldome return thither again, at least [Page] for no long time: But, if their changes happen in a contrary manner to the course of the Sun, as from West to South, from South to East, &c. they usually revert back again to the former points, before they complete the whole Circuit of the Compasse: We have this remarque in my Lord Bacon; and he disdain'd not to borrow severall observations of this kind, from Husbandmen and Sheapheards; who are lesse within doors, and more concern'd in all the vicissitudes of the yeare, whether or no they are like to expect kind seasons for their Corn, and flocks. It might likewise be enquir'd into, what Prognostiques the Seamen have of the weather, in all parts of the world, where they have different sorts [Page] of Tempests: I am inform'd, that they also commonly observe, when the VVind has been long in one Quarter, if it passe into a Quarter of the like Quality, it is seldome constant, but reverts to the former: as suppose the East, if it change to the North, it frequently returns, but if it passe by the South, and follow the Sun, the weather probably changes for some continuance, and not per Saltum, as if it should skip from the East, to the West, or from the North to the South, for then it's seldome holding. It is not my design to multiply instances of this nature, I only offer at some few, to compare the Mutations of the Weather, with those of the wind; & questionlesse in a long tract of time, they might be reduc'd [Page] to some more certain rules, then those in Aristotle or Pliny; at least better calculated for an Island; which being invaded on all sides by the Sea-vapors and Winds, seldome enjoys the same serene Face of the Heavens, for any long time together; but is generally farre more obnoxious to all changes of weather, then the Continent.

Next, what certainty there is in any Astrologicall Predictions, as by the Age, or Phasis of the Moon, Appearance, or Conjunction of the Starrs, &c. The Rise of the Orion is more particulariz'd in Authors; but seems to be rather a Concomitant of other causes, then of it selfe, the Efficient of VVinds.

So likewise, what information we might receive from all sorts of [Page] Trades: of what concernment it might be for Vintners to have their Cellar-VVindows expos'd to this, or that VVind; since Michael Angelus Blondus in his book of Navigation, affirms, that the Easterly, and Paduanus in his Treatise of VVinds, that the Southerly, have a very sensible operation on the VVines in the Cask. I have heard that some of the Vertuosi who pretend to great skill in ordering of Cidar, find by experience, that certain Winds set it a fermenting more then others, and render it turbid and thick; so that when they perceive them coming to such a Point of the compasse, they critically observe the just time for botling it, to prevent these inconveniences. Rules have been [Page] prescrib'd to Drudgsters, and Apothecarys upon this account, for the preserving their Medicines: and happily some remarks might be taken from Cabinet-makers, joyners, and other Mechanicall Artists, in the drying and seasoning their Materials, that might conduce a fuller History of VVinds.

Lastly, it would be no lesse beneficiall to the Advancement of Naturall knowledge, to detect the Falsity of those Assertions, which have been long receiv'd in the world, from the great reputation of their Authors. As for example, those which are set down by Aristotle, in the second of his Meteors, and in the book of Problems, where he endeavours to explicate severall Phaenomena of the Air and [Page] Winds; as in the first Section. Probl. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 19. 23. and in the Twenty sixth Section. Prob. 3. 9. 13. 14. 15. 16. 18. 21. 22. 25. 37. 38. 40. 42. 48. 49. 56. 58. which I mention more particularly, because I find My Lord Bacon in his Chapter concerning the Qualities of VVinds, follows exactly the traces of Aristotle; and the generallity of Peripatetique writers have made it their Non Ultra, daring to adventure no further in these enquiries, then was prescrib'd to them by that Great Genius of Nature. So likewise the sentiments of Theophrastus deliver'd in his Book of VVinds, and the rest of the Ancient Placits, ought to be more thoroughly examin'd; before we receive them for infallible: many things [Page] in Pliny that relate to this Argument, might be considerable, were they not suspected to be generally false: But since the too great Veneration of Antiquity, has impos'd so many Vulgar Errors on the credulous world; it will be the most generous design, first to free our minds from those prejudices we have taken up from Tradition, and upon this foundation to superstruct a more Reall and Experimentall Philosophy.

I have only mention'd some few observations of that infinite Variety, with which this fruitfull Argument will entertain the Curious: And so from their Causes and Qualities, proceed to the Prognostiques of Winds.

First we might enquire what [Page] the radiant, sanguine, pallid, nubilous, or other Appearances of the Sun, signify to the predictions of VVinds.

What the Age or Eclipse of the Moon, the picked, or obtuse figure; the greater resplendency of the Lunar Horns, or the Conjunction of it with other Planets: likewise Halos about the Sun, or Moon, the shooting, or twinkling of Starrs, &c. whether these may be accounted Prognostiques of VVinds? In like manner, if the Sun seem bigger then ordinary, or dart more refulgent Beams; or if it rise in a Cloud of the same Colour, &c. All these different Appearances of the Heavenly Bodys proceed chiefly from refraction, the visual rays being distorted by the Density of the [Page] Medium: and the collection of those rorid and nebulous vapors in the Air, that cause these unusuall perceptions in our sense, may first generate Halos, and afterward descend in Tempests, or VVinds.

Some prognosticate from Comets and Eclipses: and it would be farther worth our remarque; what connexion there is between certain species of Thunder or Lightnings, and Wind; what predictions may be taken from the colours, motion, and as it were Severall storys, and ranges of Clouds, or the suddain appearance of any Single one above the Horizon, in an extraordinary serene and peacefull sky, as wee observe in Tornados.

Others have been no lesse superstitious from the suddain palenes of [Page] Fires, from the roaring of the Sea, from the resounding of Echos, or a noise heard from the shoars, which happens many times before the Levants blow in the Mediterranean; or if there be a Murmur in the Mountains, or Clouds without Thunder; or if the Sea seeme to rise, or swell, in those places where there is no sensible VVind to irritate it. Some have employ'd their curiosity, in making praedictions from Birds, and Water-Fowle, from Ravens, and Crows, the playing of Porpuses and Dolphins, the spinning of Spiders, the leaping of Fishes above the water, &c. Innumerable of this nature may be had from Aristotle, Paduanius, Petrus de Medina, Ricciolus, Fournier; though for the most part fallible [Page] and uncertain, we might offer at the Philosophicall reasons of some Prognostiques; but those, which have any evident connexion between the causes & effects, may be solu'd from the former Discourses.

But (as I before noted) the great Inequalities in the superficies of the Earth, the severall obstacles and repercussions from mountains, the different Situations of the places, and Medium's in which they blow, the distance of those Countries from the Poles of the World: Their respects to the course of the Sun: whether they comply with, or resist the Naturall Motion of the Air from East to West &c have so many intricate, & nice speculations, that it will be hard to lay down any perfect Theory of [Page] Winds. Yet certain it is, that most mutations which happen in the Air, either as to heat, cold, or such like qualities, are chiefly occasion'd by the diversities of Winds; which, for the time they blow, are the Soveraign Lords of the Atmosphere, and influence, and dispose of it as they please: Beside this, they help to sustaine, or dissolve the clouds; they ventilate and purifie the Stagnant Air, preserving it from Putrefaction, and by this means are the greatest Benefactors to Mankind.

Their Number and Distribution, has been very different in the time of Homer, only 4, of Strabo 6, of Andronicus Chyrrestes, 8, though in strictness, we may suppose as many severall sorts of Winds, as points [Page] in the whole Horizontall Arch. The Romans came to 12: others have very aptly multiply'd their number to 16; 4 answering to the Cardinall points of the Heaven, and 3 Collaterall, between every Cardinall Wind: But the Moderns, since the encrease of Navigation, have divided their Compass into 32 points, known in these Parts, by the Dutch or German names; and by the Italian, in the Mediterranean Seas.

A Prosecution of the former discourses, concerning Whirlewinds in generall: with an Historicall Account of the Tornados, Hurracanes, and other Tempestuous Winds.

[Page]

THe Peripatetique Philosophy constitutes no considerable difference between Lightning and Whirlewinds; only, that the matter of the first is more tenuous and rare; and the other, made up of grosser and Heterogeneous parts. VVe might explicate this Phaenomenon more advantagiously, if we suppose a Spirit, like that of Nitre, to be discharg'd with a very violent Collision or Displosion, from one Cloud; which meeting with another, suffers a repulse, & so [Page] causes that Rotation which Aristotle styles [...]; & in the Third of his Meteorologics, assigns this cause for it; [...]: so that, the spirit or VVind, being pent up and straightned Meteor. l. 3. c. 1. in a narrow space, and finding no passage out, recoyles, and whirls about in a Circle: for though the progresse thereof would be naturally direct (in which all motion once begun, is continued, if there be no impediment, as De Cartes often observes) yet the density & resistence of the Cloud, gives it an oblique or Vortiginous Motion: Aristotle supposes, that the Heat retiring upwards, condenses the Cloud above, and therefore the eruption is made towards the Earth; possibly, [Page] we may rather impute it to the Cold, and Pressure of the Incumbent Air; or, that the Cloud, by reason of it's Gravity, more easily gives way downward, and so descending in this kind of Circular motion, absorbs whatever shall happen within the Vortex.

VVhirlwinds are divided into severall species; and have acquir'd different Appellations, according to the Diversity of the Matter, Motion or Distraction of the Cloud. They are very particularly set down by Pliny; who makes the Genus to all of them, Ecnephias, or Procella; which, if it Circulate, and cause a gyration in the Air, is call'd Typhon, and sometimes, if it breaks out with great violence and noise, Turbo; But, if by the strugling [Page] or rotation of the included spirit, in the descent, it chanc'd to be inflam'd: it was styl'd by the Grecians, Prester; and if the Flame be exceedingly rarify'd and innocent, they call'd it [...]; which we may suppose to consist of a substance not unlike the most Rectify'd Spirit of Wine. So that, Prester comprises not only the Ecnephias, but has the Vortiginous Motion of the Typhon; beside, it is inflam'd, and is therefore, Typhon accensus; as the other, Vibratus Ecnephias. Plin. Hist. Libro 2.

All which descriptions are well adjusted to the sense of Aristotle. The Stoics held, that the Typhon was somewhat ignite, & that the Prester was made up of Hotter, but the Typhon of more Rarify'd matter.

[Page] Seneca describes Lightning to be a very vehement, and the Prester a more rarifyd Flame.

Epicurus allows of no Fiery eruption out of the Clouds, but Lightning.

Now we may imagine, that the Nitro-Sulphureous, or other Mineral Spirits, being pent in, and besieged by an obstinate Cloud, and finding no way out, at last, both from the Continuall rotation of the Subtil Matter within, and compression by the Air or VVinds from without, may by long strugling set themselves at liberty, and violently rend off some part of the Cloud, which, falling into the Sea, causes Tempests and the Sinking of ships, & there-upon is likewise denominated [...], because after the Fall it commonly causes a Whirlpool in the water.

[Page] This Ecnephias oftentimes subverts houses, and tares up trees by the roots; and it's usual to see Cocks of Hay, elevated by it, and as it were, dancing in the Air. For bodys no more solid then Clouds, being charg'd with such Spirits or Salts, not less active and impetuous then Gunpowder, may by their violent Agitation, from some contrary Currents of VVind, cause these kind of Eddys in the Atmosphere; which is subject to so many inequalities and vicissitudes, sometimes from the condensation of vapours by Cold, and otherwhile by the rarefaction of them, from extraordinary Heat; So that there must needs follow strange disorders and Whirlwinds, by what means soever, the Tension or Compression of the Air, [Page] becomes greater, then the Dimensions thereof will naturally permit.

The Tornados are variable Winds, call'd in the Portugall lanlanguage Travados, but most significantly by the Greeks, Ecnephias from [...] Nubes; for their surest Prognostique is a Thick Cloud, suddainly rising above the Horison, which is easily visible in those Countries, where the Air is generally defecate and serene.

The Cloud for its smalnes at first was called Olho de Boy, the Bulls-Eye; yet this, from so insensible a beginning, diffuses it selfe by degrees, and at last, covering the whole Face of the Heavens with a Canopy of darknes, causes horrible storms, Thunder and Lightning, swels the raging Seas up to the Clouds, [Page] which pow'r them down in Deluges of Rain, falling rather in huge Cascades, and by Bucket-fuls, then drops; sometimes together with Hailstones of prodigious bulk: so variable and unsteady are the Tornado-Winds, so little obliged to any certain law, that they commonly shift all the Points of the Compass in the space of an houre, blowing in such suddain and impetuous gusts, that a ship which was ready to overset on one side, is no lesse dangerously assaulted on the other; sometimes they shift without intermission, & otherwhile they blow in starts, so that you shall have a perfect calme between every puff: Let a fleet of ships saile as near as they can without falling fowl on each other, and they shall have severall [Page] and contrary VVinds: You shall be alarm'd with many of them in the same day, most towards the coasts of Africk, for halfe an houre or three quarters at a time: and were they equally lasting, as impetuous, few would be invited thither by the Guiny gold, or venture to crosse the Line for the richest Merchandise of the East.

Our Seamen commonly meet with the Tornados from the 10th, sometimes the 11th, & 12th degr. of N. Lat. likewise in the Tropick of Capricorne near the Promontory of Cape Bon Esperance; where the fatall cloud rises as only a small spot in the Air, and then displaies it self, spreading like a Carpet or'e the top of the Mountain; which the Sea-men espying, though in the calmest weather, [Page] immediatly furle their sails, and provide for the ensuing storme, that not long after descends in lightning and Winds, being the more terrible because it begins with the utmost fury at first, and the changes of the points suddain, as the twinkling of an eye. You shall have a treacherous Calme, a dreadfull tempest, and in an houres space, the skye clear again, and the Sea smooth as glass: The Portugues in their discoveries of the Orientall Indies, lost 9 ships out of 12, which were overset by the Prodigious impetuosity of these suddain Gusts. But we seldome heare of such disasters now adays, our Sea-men being more expert to govern themselves, in these dangerous attacques; and always jealous of surprise in the [Page] African Seas: ‘For the nearer you are to the Coasts of Africk (as was observ'd by an Phil. Trans. pag. 1004. inquisitive Traveller of late, in the Philosophicall Transactions) so much more dreadfull is the Thunder and Rain, but the further Westward you goe, the Thunder, and Rain will be lesse, and the Winds not so uncertain; so that, if you goe as farre West as the Meridian of the East side of Brasile, there is little Thunder, neither doth the VVind come down in such suddain Puffs and Flaws; but between the 4 and 8 Degree, it is most inclin'd to Calms and thick Foggs, and the Rains come not in such dangerous showrs.’

I have not only consulted the most experienc'd of our Sea-men; [Page] from whom I had information in these particulars; but I find that many others, both English and Forreigners, have in their Travells given us descriptions of the Tornados, which would be superfluous to recite; I shall only adde a relation out of Sir Thomas Roe (in his East-India Voyage) to confirme the precedent Discourses.

‘These Tornado-Blasts were so variable, that sometimes within the space of an houre, all the severall Winds of the Compasse will blow; So that, if there be many ships in company, you shall have them sail so many severall ways, and every one of them seem to goe directly before the VVind. These strange Gusts came with much Thunder and Lightning, and [Page] extreme Rain, so noisome, that it made their Cloths, who stirr'd much in it, to stink upon their backs; and the water of these hot, and unwholesome showres would presently bring forth worms, and other offensive Animals.’

‘The Tornados met with us, when we were about 12 degrees of N. Latitude, and kept us company, till two Degrees Southward of the Aequinoctiall.’

This Ecnephias not only visits the Coasts of Malaguta and Guiny, producing vehement Gusts of of VVind with Rain, but reaches as farre as Terra de Natal, lying to the East-North-East towards St. Lawrence; and at Cape Gardafui near the entrance of the Arabian [Page] Gulfe, it infests those parts in May, as was collected by Varenius from the Dutch Journals: In the Sea towards the Kingdome of Loango, and that part of the Aethiopique Ocean, the Tornados are most frequent in January, February, and March.

On the shoares of Guiny, when no other VVinds blow in those Climats, and within 5, 6, or 7 Degrees of the Aequinoctiall, they raign in April, May, and June, which is the time of their Rains; and in other parts of Africk, they observe other Months; For they have not only Etesian VVinds, but Anniversary Tempests in some Seas. Yet, to be fuller satisfy'd in the History of this Ecnephias, I addres'd my selfe to Mr. George Cock of Greenwich (a Gentleman of a generous and communicative [Page] Nature) who being interested in the Royal Company, is well vers'd in all occurrences of the African Trade, and at my request procur'd me this following account of the Tornados on the Coast of Guiny, from a person long employ'd in their service.

‘The place of the Tornados rising is, E. N. E. to the N. N. E. they frequently give 2 or 3 houres notice of their coming, by a thick black Cloud gatherd in the Horison, with much Thunder and Lightning. Sometimes the Wind comes first, very forceable, and then a great quantity of Rain; otherwhile, the Rain begins, and is follow'd by a Tempestuous VVind. At this season the Blacks count it good planting Corn, or Roots.’

[Page] They make the Air very cleare; so that a man may see 5 times further then before: I my self lying at Anchor in the River, have seen the Isle of Princes, at least 6 leagues up; when before, I could not see the Isle of Fernando do Poo.

‘During the Tornados, it's exceeding Cold, insomuch that the Natives and other Inhabitants are very sensible of it for the time.’

‘Their continuance is about an hour, or two hours at most.’

I endeavour'd to understand from some of our Sea-men, whether the Cape Bon-Esperance was so very ominous for these kinds of Tempests; according to the dreadfull descriptions of Maffeus; and what notice had been taken by our Mariners of the Bulls-Eye, appearing [Page] most about that Promontory? which gave such discouragements to the Portugals, in their first attempts upon the Indies? In answer to this, an Ancient East-India-Captain inform'd me; he had sometimes seen that which the Portugals call'd Olho-de-Boy, rising on the Peak of the Promontory, and describ'd it to be, A Bright-red Appearance in a Black Cloud; which afterwards descending causes violent storms. So that they commonly expect fowl weather, and encounter great difficulties about the turning of that Point; where, as the Lands lye higher, so they are more obnoxious to Tempests; for not only the Cape Bon Esperance, but severall other Hills & High landsare observ'd to generate [Page] storms; and in many Countrys they have Mountains, from the top of which, most of the Tempests thereabout are noted to take their first rise.

I lately made enquiries of severall ships that, during the Winter months, never met with any Tornados, all the way from Brasile; They being most violent, when the Sun is near their Zenith, and in the time of their Rains, when the Air is moist, and affords greater quantities of Flatulent vapours.

May we not collect from hence that this Phaenomenon also do's principally relate to the Sun? which passing from one Tropique to another, not only draws the Generall or Trade Winds along with it, but causes the Monsoons, and Tornados, [Page] and though the latter differ much on the shoars of Africk, from what they are in the Pacifique and Brasilean Seas: yet this may be allowed, to particular Accidents, the diversity of Latitudes and Meridians; Inequalities between the Seas, and Mountains &c.

In the English Channel, especially about the end of Summer, many have been surprised with these vehement blasts of Wind, with Lightning, and Raine, after the manner of Tornados, and so in our American Dominions, by the Caribbe-Islands; But no Seas have been so infamous for them, as those near Guiny, where the Levants, or Generall Brise, being interrupted, occasions this variablenes of the Winds; or for other reasons, not as yet nicely considered [Page] by our Seamen, who though we must be forc'd to rely on their credit for matters of Fact, yet they are able to assist us but very little in determining the Causes of things, that must depend on a thousand minute observations in the places where they happen.

The Coasts of Monomotapa, and generally the more Southerly & Maritime Regions of Africk, are said to abound with diverse sorts of Minerals, and the Nitro-sulphureous Spirits, if they escape from under the Earth or Sea, must necessarily by their mutuall conflicts, & accension in the Air, cause the most terrible Lightning and Whirlwinds: Moreover, the Sun, then in their Zenith, is more powerfull; and the Spacious Aethiopique ocean must needs furnish [Page] multitudes of Exhalations, that, gathering insensibly, at length make up the Tornado-Cloud; which afterwards may create Tempests two severall ways.

1. By it's resolution into Rain and stormy Gusts.

Or, 2ly, by it's pressure; when the Cloud distills not by degrees in pluvious drops, but rushes down impetuously all at once, driving before it a swift Torrent of Air, which falls as from a precipice, and threatens the oversetting of ships; If it chance to be strongly resisted, either by the extraordinary density of the Atmosphere, or some other crosse Winds that stop the career, then it runs round in changeable Puffs to all points of the compasse: and though the Bulls-Eye which occasions the Ecnephias, may seem exceedingly [Page] at first, chiefly by reason of the vast distance from the Earth: yet Ponderous bodys, the higher they ascend, relapse back again with the more vehement impulse: and therefore some have Tempestatem eò Majorem esse, quo minor uubes apparuit; nam quò ex altiori loco descendit, &c. De Cartes. Meteor. c. 7. observ'd, the lesser the cloud appears at first, the Tempest will last the longer.

The Ecnephias is sometimes inflam'd, & then is call'd Prester, from [...] uro, though the cause of it's Accension (or indeed of any Fiery Meteor whatever) is not so easily explicated. Shall we conjecture that it consists of some such inflammable Matter which easily kindles from contact & commistion? or by the violent agitation, or displosion of certain Minerall Spirits and Salts? or may not the Presters and [Page] Fiery Winds break out in Actuall Flames from the Vulcanos and Burning Mountains under ground? May they not proceed from a sufficient collection of inflammable Exhalations in the Regions of the Air? Presters being a kind of Continu'd Lightning.

Sometimes there appears first, like a Flaming Cloud in the Horizon, from whence proceeds the Fiery Tempest, in a most astonishing manner; & some of these Hurracanes and Whirlwinds have seem'd so very terrible, as if there had happend one entire conflagration of the Air and Seas. I was inform'd by Captain Prowd of Stepny, a person of great experience and integrity, that in one of his Voyages to the East Indies, about the 17 degree [Page] of South Latitude he met with a Tempest of this nature, towards the Coast of India; of which I had some particulars extracted from his Journal: First, contrary to the course of the VVinds, which they expected to be at S. E. or between the South and East, they found them between the East and North; the Sea extremely troubled; and, which was most remarkable and Dreadfull, in the N. N. W. North and N. N. E. parts of the Horizon the skye became wonderfully red, and inflam'd, the Sun being then upon the Meridian; These were thought Omens of stormy weather; which afterwards happen'd according to their suspicions: and as the Darknes of the night encreased, so did the Violence [Page] of the VVind, till it ended in an extreme Hurricane; which an hour after Midnight, came to such an height, that no Canvas or sayles would hold; and 7 men could scarce govern the Helme. But that which I mention as most considerable to our purpose, was, that the whole Hemisphere, both the Heavens and raging Seas, appear'd but as one entire Flame of Fire; and those who are acquainted with the reputation of this Grave Person, will find no just reason to distrust the truth of the Relation.

Although these Fiery Whirlwinds are to be reckon'd as the most wonderfull events in Nature, yet we have frequent examples of them in Historians and Philosophers: One the most memorable [Page] which ever I read of, was known, some years since, here in England; and describ'd at large in the Publick Gazet: it run a long in a tract, as a dreadfull Torrent of Fire, destroying all places wherever it came; and, if I mistake not, did much damage in Lincolne-Shire; but I cannot now recollect the particulars, though, as I remember, it happend since the last Dutch warr.

They have a strange kind of Ecnephias towards the Arabian Gulf, which rises from the North; where also they have oftentimes Sandy Tempests; and that not only in Afric, near the Temple of Jupiter Hammon, (as seems to have been noted by Herodotus) but especially in Arabia; where the Floating Sands are driven [Page] by the VVinds, & sometimes have overwhelm'd no less then six thousand persons at once, travelling in Caravans from Aleppo on their way to Babylon.

I shall conclude with a Description of Hurricanes, which have the greatest affinity in their Nature to the Tornados, but farre more lasting and violent: by some, they are call'd Huracanos, and by others, Orancan: Yet I rather think the word was first borrow'd of the Natives, and deduc'd from a Barbarous Origine.

VVe seldome hear of any Hurricanes but between the Tropiques, and within the jurisdiction of the Generall, or Trade-VVind; which blowing perpetually from the Eastern points, if it chance to [Page] be repell'd by a Land-Brise, or any contrary Motion from the West; This must needs occasion strange Conflicts and Seditions in the Air: and, were our senses fine enough to discerne the invisible commotions of the Atmosphere, we should see it oftentimes disturb'd & Fluctuating, no less then the most Tempestuous Seas.

They are not alike terrible in all places between the Tropiques, but raign more especially near High shoars and Islands that lye Eastward from the Continent; so that they infest the Philippine and Caribbe-Isles, more then any other parts of the Habitable World.

Nearer the Line it's most inclin'd to Calms; and though in the Torrid Zone, there is but one Set VVind all [Page] the year round, yet they are also extremely subject to Tempests, whenever the Levants encounter any opposition from the West. For although (as I before noted) the progresse of Wind is Naturally direct, yet meeting with any impediment, it whirles about in a Circular and Vortiginous Motion. This cause was assign'd by Dorisi of the dangerous storms that happen near the Aequinoctiall: & (not to instance in severall others, who have declar'd for the same Hypothesis) Ricciolus, and more expresly Varenius, in his Geography, gives the like account of these Typhons, or Hurricanes:

Causa Typhonis procul dubio est, quòd Ventus ex aliqua plaga erumpens, versus aliam, in hac reperit impedimentum,[Page]&c. Potest etiam esse ab oppositis Ventis simul spirantibus, &c.

We see these kind of Eddys in Rivers, when the Course of the Channell is stopt by a damme or Bank; at least when two contrary Currents meet; And I believe the Phaenomenon of Hurricanes might be sufficiently illustrated from Hydrostatique experiments, were it not my intention rather to prosecute their Naturall History, then to determine their cause. Though I shall endeavour to collect such observations, as may not obscurely hint to us the fittest Materials, on which to superstruct an Hypothesis. But we cannot safely adventure upon this Arduous attempt, without more exact discoveries of many particular Circumstances, and [Page] Accidents, which are of greatest importance to these nice Speculations.

I should enquire what Anniversary Winds blow either in Guiana, or the Neighbouring continent; especially from the West, in those Months which are most suspected for Hurricanes.

Then, what judgement can be made of their Causes, from their Prognostiques: since I am assur'd from very good hands, that they have oftentimes been foretold by the Indians. Moreover, the Influences of the Sun, the nature of the Currents and Shoars; the Phasis of the Moon, &c. ought not to be neglected by the Inquisitive Naturallist.

Lastly, whether they are not [Page] frequently accompany'd by Earthquakes, as I have been inform'd by some who were Planters in the West Indies, which was likewise taken notice of in that excellent History of the Caribbes, of an Hurricane which happen'd in the year 1563 together with an Earthquake. For the Included Spirit, which caus'd that Palpitation in the Bosome of the Earth, being afterwards releast from it's imprisonment, might occasion these dreadfull Tempests and VVinds. Fournier (who is generally reputed an Author of good credit, & skilfull in what relates to Hydrography) mentions an Inundation on the Coasts of America, an Eruption of a Burning Mountain, and an Earthquake near the same time; which for the memorableness of the [Page] event, I shall set down in a few lines.

Thirty five leagues on the South of Lima, is situate a Famous Port call'd Hisco; and a Town in which most of Noblesse and persons of Qualitie doe reside; who perceiving one day, that the Sea retir'd all at once, from their shoars, and left the River dry, great Numbers of people flock't together on the shoare, to behold so extraordinary a sight; little suspecting the ill destiny which was to attend them: For, presently after, they saw a great and suddain tumour of the Sea, and perceiv'd the Water to boyl, and the waves to swell, and rowle one upon another; not like Waves, but Mountains of water, so high, that there remain'd no hope of saving [Page] their lifes by flight; expecting every moment when they should be Swallow'd up by the Sea: so that, the Ocean quitting it's ordinary Bounds, made an excursion for three Hundred leagues; overturn'd the houses and trees, and left the Country desolate: the ships sail'd over the highest walls, during this wonderfull Inundation. Canama, a noted Village distant 230 leagues from Lima, was destroy'd with it's Port, and many other places; more especially the Town of Arica, which lost in the Harbour many ships richly laden, to the value of a Million in Gold. The Mountain Onerate, which, some years since, had vomited out a great quantity of Ashes, began a very terrible Conflagration, and was follow'd [Page] by a suddain Trembling of the Earth, which in lesse then a quarter of an hour, swallow'd up severall Villages; that there was scarce ever a more Dreadfull Earthquake.

It is not unusuall to have Inundations of the Seas, Eruptions of Burning Mountains, Earthquakes, and then Violent Tempests, like Hurricanes, to happen about the same time, and probably from the same Cause: For the Nitro-Sulphureous spirit which causes the Trembling of the Earth, and that stupendious commotion of the Seas, may afterward break loose into the most Horrid conflagrations, and Winds: especially, in such places that abound with these Thundring Minerals; which, if we consider their Active nature, are the fittest Materials for Hurricanes. I know not [Page] how farre it may be thought a confirmation of this, that Bray-Brook in Northampton-Shire, where (as was at large describ'd in the last of the Philosophicall Transactions) there happen'd that dangerous Whirlwind the last year, has been a place much subject to Earthquakes. But I return from this digression, to the Hurricanes of the West-Indies, where it seems to me very odd, that they should be so dreadfull in some places of the Caribbe-Islands, insomuch that Mevis and St. Christophers, have severall times been almost depopulated by them, when they never reach to Jamaica, on the one side (happily as lying without the Vortex of the Whirlwind) nor on the other, beyond Barbados, where they have seldome [Page] more then the Tail of an Hurricane, though it is not farre situate from St. Christophers, Porto Rico, Gardaloupe, and other Islands, where they rage with the greatest violence.

They are no strangers to the Moluccas, and Philippines, and we have most incredible relations of the storms in the way to Japan, which have carry'd ships a considerable distance from the Sea, up the Dry-Land: Some have been miserably wrackt, & buryed in the waves, others split in a thousand pieces against the Rocks, that scarce one ship in five escapes these diasters in the Tempestuous Months about Autumn, or at the change of the Monsoons. From hence we may collect this considerable remarque, That they never happen [Page] but on the Eastern Shoars, where they are Fatall to the Chinese and Caribbe-Seas, and so as farr as the River of Plate; likewise to that part of Afric from the Cape to St. Lawrence, & the Adjacent Isles: when they are altogether unknown to the African Ocean, from the Canaries to Cape Bon Esperance, are never heard of at New Spain, or the Coasts of Peru, nor towards any other western parts of America; because there the VVinds, which blow off from Land, make no opposition against the Generall Brise, but comply with the Constant motion of the Air between the Tropiques, from East to West: For the shifting of the Trade-Wind from the Easterly Points, is usually the first On-set of an approaching Hurricane.

[Page] Yet, however these suspicious of mine be receiv'd, I think it cannot be rationally disputed, but that those direfull Tempests have their first rise from the Western Continent: for we seldome encounter them very remote from Land, and the experienc'd Masters-of-ships are never jealous of Hurricanes in the Spacious Ocean; or, if they perceive them coming, immediately make out to Sea, where their fury is much lesse, then near the Shoars.

They are most to be dreaded about the end of Summer, in the Months of July, and August: For both the Winds and Seas, imitate the Motions of the Sun, and being dilated by the Celestiall heat, annually revert from North, to South; and from South, to North again; so that [Page] the Sun hasting from one Tropique to another, causes the like suddain Conversions in the Currents and Winds; and being the most Universall Efficient, must needs be principally concern'd in all vicissitudes of the Sublunary World.

Hurricanes are usually preceded by an extraordinary Tranquillity of the Heavens and Seas: possibly, some Counter-Winds may for a short space ballance another, & bring the Air to an Equal poise. So that, those who happen to be in the Center of the Whirl-Wind are at first sensible of no disturbance; as we see in Eddys or Whirl-pools of water, that, while the Circumference is violently agitated, in the middle it continues for some time, quiet and calme.

I have already too long digres'd [Page] from my first design, which was to contribute, what I could, to their History; & for this end, I have collected severall relations which may be of greatest importance to make a fuller discovery of their nature, & the Miraculous Effects of Hurricanes: The first is out of Battista Ramusio; and though I am assur'd, that the best accounts are to be had from Oviedo, and other Spaniards, & the descriptions they have made of the New-World, yet their books are so rarely to be met with, that very few of the Spanish Journalls come to our hands, but what were first translated into other Modern languages, as this, of two severall Hurricanes at the Island of Hispaniola: I made diligent enquiry after Gonzalo D' Oviedo, which is a [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] book fit to be consulted upon this occasion; which I at last found in the University Library done into Italian by Gio: Battista Ramusio, with severall other Portugal and Spanish Journals, where I met with the following descriptions of these Hurricanes in one of the Caribbe-Islands.

‘Hurricane in the Language of this Island signifies properly a most excessive Tempestuous storme: and in effect is nothing else, but an extraordinary great Wind, and Raine together.’

‘It happened on Wednesday the third of August in the year 1508 (Don Francisco Nicola D' Ovando the great Commendator, being Governour of this Island) very near midday, that [Page] there rose upon a suddain a very great Wind, accompanied with Rain; which, in one and the same instant, was taken notice of in many remote parts of the Island; and hence, by reason of it, great losses immediately follow'd in the fields; and the Country farmes remained utterly wasted and destroyed: in this City of St. Domenico it bore to the Ground all the houses of straw which were in it; and some too which were built with stone were extreamly batter'd and endanger'd: Nay in that Country which they call'd the Happy Adventure, all the houses were levelled to the Earth; from which accident the name of the Misadventure was afterward given to it, by reason of [Page] the great numbers which there underwent a Totall Ruine: and that which was worst, and most sensibly afflictive, that in the Haven of this City were destroyed more then twenty ships, pinnaces, and other vessels: The VVind was North, and so strong that the Mariners perceiving the suddain encrease, threw themselves into their Boats, and went to cast more Anchors into the Sea, and to fasten and secure their vessels with stronger Cables; But to such a height grew the Tempest, that all provision which was made to resist it, proved useless, and ineffectuall, because every thing broke, and the Wind with an incredible force drove all the vessells, both small [Page] and great, down the River, out of the Port, and Carry'd them into the Sea, some it stranded across the shoars of that River; others were sunk and never appear'd more: but afterward, the VVind changing upon a suddain to the contrary point, the South Wind, with no lesse violence and furie, rose to an equall height, with the former North Wind; whence, beyond all apprehension, some vessels were furiously driven back again into the Port, and as the North Wind had forced them to Sea, so this Opposite drove them back again into the Harbour against the stream of the River. These very vessels we afterward obsered to move down the stream, without perceiving any more of [Page] them then the Cages or Tops of their Masts, for their Hulks sunck totally under water. Many men were drown'd in this calamity, and the extremity of the Tempest lasted Twenty four hours, even till the next day Noon; but ceas'd not so, in an instant, as it began: Such an one it was, that many who saw it, and are yet living in this City, do affirm, that it was the most Affrightfull & Horrid spectacle, that could possibly be look'd upon with human eyes: and they report the Appearance to be such, that it seem'd as if Hell had stood open, and the Infernall spirits carried those vessels from one place to an other; The Wind hurried away in a Body together [Page] many men, divers Bowshoots through the streets, and fields, without any possibility to stop or help themselves; many of whose heads were miserably shatter'd and broken: It drew by force some stones out of the mid'st of the walls, it threw down and broke in peices many thick Woods turning them upside down; hurling the trees of others at a very great distance. In short, the losse occasion'd by this Tempest, was exceeding great and Generall to the whole Island. The Indians say, that at other times here have us'd to be Hurricanes, but not any like This had ever yet happen'd; neither in theirs, nor their predecessors times; so that by this Horrible Tempest many [Page] were slain, and their Estates and Goods ruin'd; both in this City, and in the greater part of this Island, but chiefly their Farmes in the Country.’

‘The Admirall Don Diego Colombo came the year following being (1509) into this City, the tenth of July, and on the twenty ninth of the same Month, there arose another Hurricane, greater then that already mention'd, but yet it made not so much spoyl among the Houses, though in the Fields a much greater. There have been others since, but never Such, nor so Stupendious as these. 'Tis beleiv'd and asserted by the Catholicks, that since the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar has been [Page] plac'd in the Churches of this City, and in the other Regions of this Island, these Hurricanes have ceased. Certainly, whosoever hath passeth by some Woods of great and thick standing trees, where the Hurricanes have arriv'd, has seen things of much wonder and amazement. For one might then behold trees, innumerable, and those extream bigg, drawn up with their roots, which were as long as was the Tree even to his highest top-branch, others cleft asunder in many pieces; and in such a manner placed one upon an other, that it appear'd exactly a Diabolicall operation. I my self have seen in some places the whole territorie covered with eradicated, and cleft trees; and plac'd [Page] one upon another with wonderfull Entanglings. And because we were to goe from thence, and passe through those very Countrys and woods, thus rent asunder and intricated, having no other way so safe to our design (the great Rivers interposing us, together with the sharp Craggs of Mountains, the deep Vallies, and the thorny, and close Woods, and many other difficulties; beside the suspicion of the enemy, and the Ignorance of the country) so that it was very observable to see how our men went clambring, eight or ten yards one higher then the other, from tree to tree, & from bough to bough, toyling themselves in the prosecution of their way; whence going on through all their Molestations, [Page] they felt the most extream Torture & Anguish, with hope to attain the safest way, though by a passage so infinitely obstructed; and continually some of our companions came out from the trees thus plagued, crushed, and their cloaths wholly torn off, & the skin flead off from their hands; The trees were excessively bigg; and stupendious it was to see them in this manner, and at so great a distance from the place, where they first grew, so heaped, intangled, and interwoven one within another, that, as we have said already, it appears no other then the work of the Devill. I have many pregnant Testimonys in the City of the two Hurricanes, that I now describe, which in our Times happen'd [Page] in this Island, and there are yet some remains of the Damage it did in my own house; severall other persons throughout the Island then lost most of their riches, as there are yet many more in Spain, who felt the fury of the first Hurricane, to their utter ruine, and losse of their ships. In a word, such were these two Tempests, that their memory will last, as long as those now living on the place, and therefore 'tis fit that some notice of them remain ever to Posterity.’

I have made choice of another account out of the History of the Caribbe-Islands, written by an Ingenious Frenchman: and I have lately met with several other relations both of the French and English, who [Page] liv'd upon St. Christophers, miserably deploring the Subversion of their houses, and the ruine of their Families & Estates by Hurricanes: but I forbeare to insert them among the rest of my papers, because they contain no delightfull variety, being only the same Tragedy acted over again; and, for the most, of the like Nature with this which follows.

‘Hurricanes are terrible and violent Tempests, which may be term'd the true images of the last Conflagration of the VVorld: formerly they happen'd but once in 5 or 7 years; but they are now become more frequent, since the Antilles were inhabited, for there was one in 51, another in 52, two in 53, and two in 56: [Nay, in the Island of Gardaloupe, lying [Page] about the 16 degree of N. Latitude, there happen'd no lesse then 3 Hurricanes in one year] The manner of them is Thus.’

‘Ordinarily the Sea becomes Calme on a suddain, and Smooth as glasse: then presently after, the Air is darkned, and fill'd with Dense and Gloomy Clouds; after which, it's all (as it were) on Fire, and opens on every side with Dreadfull Lightnings, that last a considerable time: after which follow wonderfull Claps of Thunder, that seem as if the Heaven was rent asunder. The Earth Trembles in many places, and the VVind blows with so great Impetuosity, that it roots up the tallest and greatest Trees, which grow in the VVoods; Beats down [Page] almost all the Houses, and tears up the Vegetables; destroying every thing that grows upon the Earth; and very often compels men, whilst this Dreadfull Tempest lasts, to catch hold of the trunks of trees, to secure themselves from being carried away by the Winds; some lye in the Caves of the Rocks, or retire into the Huts of the Negroes and Caribbians, which are built exceeding low on purpose to elude the shocks of these Tempests. But that which is most dangerous of all, and which causes the greatest Mischief, is, that in four and twenty Hours, and sometimes in less space, it makes the whole Circle of the Compass; Leaving neither Road nor Haven secure from it's raging [Page] forces; so that all the ships that are at that time on the Coast, do perish most miserably.’

‘At the Island of St. Christophers, severall ships in the Harbour, being laden with Tobacco, were all cast away by an Hurricane; & afterwards the Tobacco poyson'd most of their Fish on their Coasts.’

‘When these storms are over, a man may behold the saddest Spectacles that can be imagin'd. There may be seen Pieces of Mountains shaken by the Earthquakes, and Forrests overturn'd; Houses beaten down by the violence of the VVinds; abundance of Poore Families undone by the loss of their Goods, & the Merchandize in their Cottages; of which they can save but very little. [Page] There one may see the poor Sea-men drown'd, and rowling in the waves, with many brave ships broken in pieces, and batter'd against the Rocks. 'Tis a thing so wofull and deplorable, that should this Disorder happen often, I know not who could have the Heart or confidence to go to the Indies.’

There came to my hands, the last winter, a more accurate account of an Hurricane, which lately encountred one of his Majesties Frigats in the way to the West-Indies; & after frequent Converse with the Ingenious Captain at his return, he was pleas'd, understanding my design, to send me a very Handsome account of the particulars in a letter: The Contents were these.

[Page]

The Contents.

SIR,

IN answer to your request, concerning the Hurricane, I can say little of it's effects more, then what concerns our particular Damage, and Terrour. It happen'd upon the 18th of August last, 16 Hours after the New Moon, in the 14th Degree of North Latitude, about 90 leagues from Barbados; It succeeded a storme of 48 hours continuance at North-East; an unusuall way of it's appearing, for it commonly follows a Calme: It's presage being a shifting of the Wind about the compasse, with the Appearance of a troubled skye, the only advantage we have to prepare for it's reception. The Fury of it began about 10 at Night, and continu'd till 12 the next Day. [Page] It's observ'd that the Hurricanes of the New Moon begin at Night, and those at the Full in the Day; as was noted two years since, when the Lord Willoughby perisht with 8 ships, and near a 1000 persons.

During it's 14 hours Fury with us, it shifted 14 Points, from the N. E. to the S. S. West, keeping a method of changing one point an hour; and then shifted Backward, and in it's retreat still abated, untill it returned to the Originall Point, where it wholly ceased.

In the height of it, we had some Hail, the Stones whereof were very great, which seemed to be thrown upon us for the space of the twentieth part of a Minute, and then an intermission of 5 or 6 Minute, before any more came. The Sea in the night seem'd [Page] as a reall Fire, and I believe we might have distinctly perceiv'd any object at a great Distance: In the day time we seem'd rather to sayl in the Air then Water, the Wind forcing the Sea so high that we could scarce make a distinction of either Elements.

The Terrour of it was such, that I thought it the Emblem of Hell, and the last dissolution of all things; especially the first two hours, which were attended with so much Thunder and Lightning, so astonishing, as if we had been wrapt up into the Clouds, or the whole Air set on Fire.

The strength of the Wind was so great, that it blew a Boat of 18 foot long (fastned to 4 Ring-bolts, and each Bolt through a Ring of the ship) Clear off the Deck: It blew away a [Page] Piece of Timber of great substance and weight, called the Crosse-Piece of the Bits, to which we fasten our Cabels: it tore off the Sayles from the Yards, though fast furled; the Yards from the Masts, and the upper Masts from the lower: It blew a way four men of five, who were upon the Fore-Yard, three of which, by a strang Providence, were thrown in again upon the Deck by the Sea, and saved. The last remain of its Fury was a Weighty Grinding-Stone, which it left fastned between two Timber Heads, but it blew away the Trough from under it. I had several Accounts from Particular Friends how terrible it was in other places, but to me it seem'd beyond all expression.

These Hurricanes are most frequent between the Aequinoctiall, and [Page] the Tropique of Cancer: They more rarely happen between the Line and the Tropique of Capricorn. But that which is the greatest Wonder to me, is, that they should be so terrible among the Caribbe-Islands, that, in some of them, they have neither left House, Tree, nor Plant in the ground, beginning at St. John De Porto Rico, and so running Eastward: but the Islands of Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica are never troubled with them, though within few leagues of the rest.

There are some Old Indians that have given notice of them 3 or 4 Days before their Coming: by what rules, I was never Curious to understand; it being enough for us to study how to defend our selves and ships from them, rather then by any nice enquiries to [Page] search into their Cause. Only thus much I observ'd, that they have an influence upon the Sea, as well as the Moon, both upon them and it; for I found by observation of the Sun and Starrs, that there was a Current tending so violently Northwards, that in 24 hours it would force us as many leagues from our Easterly Course; which did so confound us, having neither Card nor Compasse left to Steer by (which, with severall other Goods, were swept a way in a Breach which the Sea made into our ship) that I think it was as great a difficulty for me to find out Barbados (this place being nearest for our relief) as Columbus, who first discover'd those Countries. Sir, I have been as modest as I could in giving you this Relation, because I know many who are [Page] unacquainted with the violence of these Tempests, will be incredulous; But I should be sorry, that all who will not believe this Account, should have the same confirmation which I had. If there be any thing in it worth your notice, it may engage me hereafter to recollect some more particulars; In all things I shall endeavour to assure you that I am, &c.

Were it not sufficient, that a Relation much of this Nature was presented to his Majesty; and that the ship, after it return'd, lay at Anchor a long time in the River of Thames; not without signal marks of the Hurricane, I might have been scrupulous enough, to have desir'd the Subscriptions of severall others, who could attest the [Page] truth of this Narrative. I should only wish that some of those reflexions, which the Ingenious Captain is pleas'd to make upon this occasion, were enquir'd into, by those who live upon any of the Caribbe-Islands: whether the Hurricanes of the New Moon begin constantly by Night, and those at the Full in the Day? which would be remarkable, though I never remember to have met with the like observation in any other Description. However, we can by no means exclude the Operations of this Influentiall Planet; which has a very great Dominion over both the Winds and Tydes; whether from it's Pressure, or by what means soever it produces these effects: Some have thought that the Moon [Page] has an Atmosphere of its own, and sends out effluviums to the neighbouring World; and therefore acts more Powerfully in the Perigaeum, when it approaches nearest the Earth.

That wonderfull light which appear'd during this Hurricane, might be from the Collision of the Lucid Salts, with which the Sea-water is so deeply impregnated: Light happily being nothing else but the Motion of some subtil matter.

We have seldome heard of any Hurricanes but in the Months of July, August, and September, and the Seamen hitherto have never been apprehensive of them at other times; yet the last year there happen'd one in October which was very unusual.

[Page] They are now become the subjects of our Gazets; and scarce a year passes but we have Accounts from the American Plantations, of the Damages they have sustain'd by Hurricanes. Not to mention the Tragedy of my Lord Willoughby and his followers, we had severall of a fresher Date: no less then five or six have happen'd within these three years.

The last advice was from Antego, the second of September; the most part of the New Town of St. Johns was quite thrown down to the ground. Where diverse of our Merchants Ships richly laden, some from New-England, and one Irish Ship that came thither for shelter, perish'd in the Harbour; together with many more Vessels that were [Page] cast away at Meavis, and other parts of the West-Indies.

I also take notice of another passage, where he says Hispaniola has been exempt from Hurricanes, when it's certain that at the first Descent of the Spaniards upon this Island, it was most obnoxious to them of all others, whereupon they afterwards took occasion to boast, that, since the Holy Sacrament, was expos'd in their Churches, they wholly ceas'd.

VVe may likewise observe, that the Seamen took the first Presage of the Hurricane, from the whifling of the VVind about the Compasse, which is Ominous in those Climates, where it hangs generally between the Easterly Points. They vary'd, no more then 14 Points in [Page] this Formidable Hurricane, though it has been a vulgar errour that they shift through all Quarters of the Compasse. Not only the Winds, but the Currents are observ'd to change, and run round in Eddys before the beginning of the Tempest.

This Hurricane was preceeded by a storme at North-East, though it's Universally agreed on, in the Relations both of the English, French, and Spaniards, that they commonly succeed a Calme: So that you shall have the Sea, for some time Placid, and Even, & not so much as the least wrinkle to appear on the Surface of the Water. It's likewise esteem'd a sure Prognostique, that the Birds (led by an instinct of Nature) come down before hand in Flocks from the [Page] Mountains to secure themselves in the Vallies against the injurie of the Weather.

I believe, there might be excellent use made of the Barometer for predicting of Hurricanes, and other Tempests, especially at Sea; since I am credibly informed, that a person of Quality, who lives by the Sea-side, (though happily there may not be so considerable alterations in the gravity of the Atmosphere far off at Land) can by the Barometer almost infallibly foretell any great Tempest for severall hours before it begins.

I find no mention of Salt Rains in any of the English Narratives; but the most Inquisitive of the French and Dutch have reckon'd it as a very Infallible Presage, that the [Page] Rain, which falls a little before, is bitter, and salt as the Sea-water: which happily may argue a Collection of some Saline and Sulphureous spirits, in the Regions of the Air, that encountring each other, may by their violent Displosion be principally concern'd in the Production of Hurricanes. My Lord Bacon just hints in his Chapter [De Imitamentis Ventorum] that there are certain Flatulent, and expansive spirits cuntained in some Minerals (and then instances particularly in Niter) that not only imitate, but exceede the force of most VVhirlwinds. But certainly Nitre alone can effect no such VVonders, though by the addition of Sulphur it is soon inflamed, and capable of the most vehement Agitation. For [Page] the Sulphureous particles, being extreamly subtil, loose the Textures of the Salts, and render them of the most expansive Nature; wherefore in the composition of Gunpowder, the Ignition is quicker, and the Displosion more impetuous, accordingly, as the Nitrous corpuscles have greater or lesse allays of Sulphur or coale, which they use in a different Proportion for Fowling-peices & Canon-powder.

Thus from the expansion of these Raging Minerals, (which after their Rarefaction require an immense space, and are exploded with the greatest violence) we can only expect such wonderfull Effects as those of Hurricanes. For beside the Subverting of Forrests, and Towns, They have [Page] in some of the French Plantations, remov'd Detache les rochers du haut des montagnes, & les precipite dans les vallées, &c. Histoire des Iles Antiles p. 244. the Rocks from the Tops of Mountains, and cast them into the Vallies, as if they had been blown up with Gunpowder; so that, since we have no better way to interpret Nature, then from the Sensible discoveries of Art, we may with the greatest probability derive these Tempests from some such Nitro-Sulphureous Exhalations, then which, nothing in the Minerall World, can be of greater force to occasion Lightning and VVhirl-Winds. I shall not undertake to determine positively the Mode, only I thought good to insinuate thus much, that these Miraculous Emotions of the Atmosphere can [Page] hardly be supposed from the Agitation of common vapours or Air; For so General a Conspiracy of the VVinds, and as it were a kind of Paroxysme which so much disorders the Frame of Nature, must necessarily proceed from some very extraordinary cause.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

A discourse concerning the origine and properties of vvind with an historicall account of hurricanes and other tempestuous winds / by R. Bohun ...

Bohun, R. (Ralph), d. 1716.

Edition statement

1671

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A28569

ID [STC]

Wing B3463

ID [STC]

ESTC R18477

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12212842

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12212842

ID [VID]

56342

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A28569)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 56342)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 127:6)

Source

— A discourse concerning the origine and properties of vvind with an historicall account of hurricanes and other tempestuous winds / by R. Bohun ..., Bohun, R. (Ralph), d. 1716..

Extent

[18], 302 p. : ill.

Printed by W. Hall for Tho. Bowman,. Oxford :: 1671.. (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.)

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