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parts of the world they extend to the latitude of 28 deg. both north and
south of the equator; while at other places well within the tropics,
and even close to the line, totally different winds prevail. It is
only in the open parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans that the
true Trade-winds blow. In the Indian and China seas, and in many other
portions of the great tropical belt, periodical winds, called
Monsoons, are found. These shifting Trades exact the closest study
from the practical navigator, in consequence of their extensive
variety and seeming complication. But they are not less deserving the
attention of merely curious inquirers, from the beautiful manner in
which these modifications of the regular breezes obey the same general
laws which direct the grand phenomena of the Trades. Indeed, the most
extensive observation serves only to link the whole into one
harmonious chain or series of explanations, exhibiting the uniformity
as well as the exquisite adaptability of Nature, even in those
departments called "inconstant," where she is supposed to be most
capricious.

The only general assertion that can safely be made with respect to the
Trade-winds is, that they blow more or less from the eastern half of
the compass towards the western. On the north side of the equator, the
north-east Trade-winds blow; and on the south side, the south-east
Trade-winds. These two names have undoubtedly contributed to mystify
the subject by naturally suggesting to the imagination currents of air
blowing respectively from the north-east and the south-east, or at an
angle of 45 deg. with the meridian. And I have even seen sailors (old
sailors too) quite surprised, and rather provoked, when they have
encountered very different winds in those parts of their voyage,
where, being misled by the force of names alone, they had taught
themselves to expect a regular breeze from a particular quarter. But,
in point of fact, the Trade-winds do very seldom blow directly from
north-east and south-east; neither are they uniform in their direction
on the same spot at different seasons of the year, nor is their
strength uniform from month to month. I may add, that the equatorial
limits, or bounding lines, of the trades, are not steadily confined to
the same latitude. In short, so far from these winds being perfectly
fixed in direction, force, and position, they are subject to very
considerable mutations, dependent on the position of the sun. The