The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

ks42 NATURAL HISTORY OF WINDS.
Caution. Wve call the two last experiments in- 1. That there are stayed winds in some places,
direct, because they do directly show the thing the very name that is given them doth declare it,
which we aim at but by consequence, which we as the other name of etesiaes means anniversary
also gladly admit of when we want direct experi- or yearly winds.
ments. 2. The ancients attributed the cause of the
Inljnction. That the breeze blows plentifully overflowing of Nilus to the blowing of the etesian
between the tropics, is most certain; the cause (that is to say, northern) winds at that time of the
is very ambiguous. The cause may be, because year, which did hinder the river's running into the
the air moves according to the heaven; but with-, sea, and turned the stream of it back.
out the tropics almost imperceivably, by reason 3. There are currents in the sea which can
of the smaller circles which it makes; within the neither be attributed to the natural motion of the
tropics manifestly, because it makes bigger cir- ocean, nor to the running down from higher
cles. Another cause may be, because all kind of places, nor the straitness of the opposite shores,
heat dilates and extends the air, and doth not suf- nor to promontories running out into the sea, but
fer it to be contained in its former place; and by are merely guided and governed by these stayed
the dilatation of the air, there must needs be an winds.
impulsion of the contiguous air which produceth 4. Those who will not have Columbus to have
this breeze as the sun goes forward; and that is conceived such a strong opinion concerning the
more evident within the tropics, where the sun is West Indies by the relation of a Spanish pilot,
more scorching; without it, is hardly perceived. and much less believe that he might gather it out
And this seems to be an instance of the cross, or of some obscure footsteps of the ancients, have
a decisory instance. To clear this doubt you this refuge; that he might conjecture there was
may inquire, whether the breeze blow in the some continent in the west by the certain and
night or no; for the wheeling of the air continues stayed winds which blew from them towards the
also in the night, but the heat of the sun does not. shores of Lusitania or Portugal. A doubtful, and
6. But it is most certain that the breeze doth not very probable thing, seeing that the voyage
not blow in the night, but in the morning, and of winds will hardly reach so large a distance.
when the morning is pretty well spent; yet that In the mean time there is great honour due to this
instance doth not determine the question, whether inquisition, if the finding of this new world be
the nightly condensation of the air (especially in due to one of those axioms or observations,
those countries where the days and nights are not whereof it comprehends many.
more equal in their length than they are differing 5. Wheresoever are high and snowy mountains,
in their heat and cold) may dull and confound from thence blow stayed winds, until that time as
that natural motion of the air, which is but weak. the snow be melted away.
If the air participates of the motion of the 6. I believe also that from great pools which
heaven, it does not only follow that the east wind are full of water in the winter, there blow stayed
concurs with the motion of the air, and the west winds in those seasons, when as they begin to
wind strives against it; but also that the north dry up with the heat of the sun. But of this I
wind blows, as it were, from above, and the south have no certainty.
wind as from below here in our hemisphere, 7. Wheresoever vapours are engendered in
where the antarctic pole is under ground, and the abundance, and that at certain times, be sure
arctic pole is elevated! which hath likewise been that stayed winds will blow there at the same
observed by the ancients, though staggeringly times.
and obscurely: but it agrees very well with our 8. If stayed and certain winds blow anywhere,
modern experience, because the breeze (which and the cause cannot be found near at hand,
may be a motion of the air) is not a full east, but assure yourself that those certain nwinds are
a north-east wind. strangers, and come from far.
9. It hath been observed, that stayed winds do
Stayed or Certain Wilzds. not blow in the night-time, but do rise about
three hours after sunrising. Surely such winds
To the third article. Connexion. are tired, as it were, with a long journey, that
As, in the inquisition of general winds, men they can scarcely break through the thickness of
have suffered and been in darkness, so they have the night air, but being stirred up again by the
been troubled with a vertigo or giddiness con- rising of the sun, they go forward by little
cerning stayed and certain winds. Of the former, and little.
they say nothing; of the latter, they talk up and 10. All stayed winds (unless they blow from
down at random. This is the more pardonable, some neighbouring places) are weak, and yield
the thing being various; for these stayed winds unto sudden winds.
do change and alter according to the places where 11. There are many stayed winds which are
they be: the same do not blow in Egypt, Greece, not perceivable, and which we do not observe, by
and Italv. reason of their weakness, whereby they are over