South-West; which Variation is better express'd in the Mapp hereto annexed, (Vide Plate 2) than it can well be in Words. These are the Winds which are observ'd on this Coast when it blows true, but there are frequent Calms, violent sudden Gusts call'd Tornado's, from all Points of the Compass, and sometimes unwholsome foggy Easterly Winds, call'd Hermitaa by the Natives, which too often infest the Navigation of these parts.
- That to the Northwards of the Line, between four and ten Degrees of Latitude, and between the Meridians of Cape Virde, and of the Eastermost Islands that bear that Name, there is a Tract of Sea wherein it were improper to say there is any Trade Wind, or yet a Variable; for it seems condemn'd to perpetual Calms, attended with terrible Thunder and Lightning, and Rains so frequent, that our Navigators from thence call this part of the Sea the Rains; the little Winds that are, be only some sudden uncertain Gusts, of very little Continuance and less Extent; so that sometimes each Hour you shall have a different Gale, which dies away into a Calm before another succeed, and in a Fleet of Ships in sight of one another, each shall have the Wind from a several Point of the Compass; with these weak Breezes Ships are oblig'd to make the best of their way to the Southward through the aforesaid six Degrees, wherein 'tis reported some have been detain'd whole Months for want of Wind.
From the three last Observables is shewn the Reason of two notable Occurents in the East-India and Guinea Navigations: The one is, why, notwithstanding the narrowest part of the Sea between Guinea and Brazile be about five hundred Leagues over, yet Ships bound to the Southward, sometimes, especially in the Months of July and August, find a great difficulty to pass it. This happens because of the South-East Winds, at that time of the Year commonly extending some Degrees beyond the ordinary limit of four Degrees North