224

SERNIX-R-’S VOYAGE TO THE EAST INDIES,

Dehli they come from the eaft, where lies Bengal; whereas, on the contrary, in theparts of Bengal, and upon the coaft of Coromandel, they come from the fouth ; andupon the coaft of Malabar they proceed almoft always from the welt. •

I have alfo obferved another particular, about which they all agree in thofe parts;viz. That according as the heat of the lummer comes fooner or later, is more or lefsviolent, and lafts longer or a {barter time; the rains alfo come fooner or later, aremore or lefs plentiful, iaft longer or a ihorter time.

Thefe obfervations have given me ground to believe, that the heat of the earth andthe rarefa&ion of the air mull be the principal caufe of thefe rains, and draw them;forafmuch as the air of the' feas, which He near round about the lands, being colder,more condenfed and more grots, filled with clouds which the great heats of the fum-mer raife from the waters, and which the winds drive and agitate, difchargeth itfelfeafily upon the land, where the air is hotter, more rarified, in more motion and lefsrefilling than upon the feas, fo as that this difcharge is more or lefs tardy and abundant,according as the heat comes fooner and is more violent.

Suitable to the fame obfervations, I was perfuaded, that if the rains begin fooner uponthe coaft of Coromandel than upon that of Malabar, it is by reaf'on that the fummerbegins there fooner, it being poflible that there it maydofo for fome particular reufonsivhich perhaps would not be hard to find, if the country were well examined : for weInow, that according to the different fituation of a land in refpect of feas or moun-tains, and according as it is more fandy, or hilly, or woody, the fummer comes thereeither fooner or later, and with more or lefs violence.

I am further perfuaded,-that it is no wonder, that the rains come from differentquarters; that upon the coaft of Coromandel, for example, they come from the fouth,and upon that of Malabar from the weft ; becaule that in all appearance it rauft be theneareft feas that fend them, and the coaft of Coromandel is nearer to the fea, which lyethfoutheriy in refpedl of it, and is more expofed to it, as the coaft of Malabar is to theweft of it, lying towards Babel-mandel, Arabia, and the gulf of Ferfia,

Lafi.lv, I have imagined, that if at Dehli , for example, the rains come from theeaft, it may yet be that the feas which are foutheriy to it are the origin of them; butthat they are forced by reafon of fome mountains, or fome other lands where theair is colder, more condenfed and more refifting, to turn afide and difcharge them-felves another way, where the air is more rarified, and where confequently they findlefs refinance.

I forgot to tell you, that I alfo obferved at Dehli , that there it never rains to pur-pole, till for many days there have paffed ftore of clouds weftward ; as if it were ne-ceflary that thofe lpaces of air which are beyond Dehli weftward, fhould be firft filledwith clouds, and that thefe clouds finding there fome obftacle, as it may be fome airlefs hot and lefs rarified, and coniequently more condenfed and more able to refill, orfome other contrary clouds and winds repelling them, fhould become fo thick, fo bur-thenfome and fo heavy, that they mufl fall down in rain, after the fame manneras it often enough falls out, when the wind driveth the clouds againft fome highmountain.

Anfwer to the third demand , concerning the regularity of the current of the fsa t and

of the winds in the Indies.

As foon as the rains do ceafe (which ordinarily comes to pafs towards the monthof October,) it is obferved, that the fea taketh its courfe fouthward, and that thecold northern wind arifeth. This wind blows for four or five months without in-

termifiion,