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India Company. Here, as well as in the streight of Malacca, you have periodical winds, which blow for six months of the year from the same quarter of the horizon, and the other six months from the opposite quarter; and it is observable, that these thunder-showers and squalls of wind usually come contrary to these stated winds, which are calmed during the thunder, but return to their constant quarter as soon as the thunder and rain are past. If I recollect aright, in the above year 1741, in June, the weather was very hot and sultry, and the constant wind but very faint. The wind came after this from the land, and almost opposite to the usual point a very faint air; and the thunder was frequent and close to the ships, which lay near each other, but the fog and rain prevented their seeing each other; but they often trembled and shook by the explosion of the thunder. One of these claps burst upon the country ship, which by this time had her top-masts struck; that is, lowered down along the lower-masts. This clap carried away and burst to pieces all the part of the lower-mast from where the yard is caried aloft to within six or seven feet of the upper deck. The mast was woolded with ropes of 2 12 size in different places, which were burst asunder at every turn of it; and the mast all shivered into small splinters, and mostly carried overboard. Here also the main-mast was made of fir, and the part, which was split and shivered to pieces, was the part usually coated with turpentine mixed as before-said with tallow or oil: and the main-top-mast, which was made of a wood of the country called teak, and is of a texture like to oak, but stronger, was untouched, notwithstanding
