20 VOYAGE OUTWARD. 



a person not long accustomed to the sea. The aged coast- 

 ing sailor prides himself as much upon knowing the in- 

 fluence of every point of land, with regard to the wind, as 

 he does upon his knowledge of the set of tide ; whilst the 

 mariner, conversant with seas and oceans, where he has 

 seldom any land to guide his observations, must look to 

 the general indication of the sky and clouds for sure in- 

 formation. I have frequently observed that an old seaman, 

 on turning out for his watch, invariably directs his attention 

 to see how the sky looks : next, turning to the compass, he 

 silently observes the direction of the wind. During his 

 silence one may, on such occasions, evidently notice the 

 operation of his mind drawing conclusions from such ob- 

 servations. Hence appeared the importance of making a 

 few remarks on these matters ; and as I am not aware that 

 any thing has yet been said conclusively on the subject, I 

 shall indulge the presumption that there is some degree of 

 novelty in what I am about to state. 



The great principle of electricity is now generally con- 

 sidered as the cause of both clouds and winds ; for to these 

 two subjects I am inclined to confine its operation, though 

 undoubtedly it discharges a most active agency throughout 

 creation. In a dry atmosphere it seems to be in greatest 

 energy, though less observably in action. In the formation 

 and destruction or decomposition of clouds, it is more 

 visible in its effects ; but in the direction of the winds, it 



