ATMOSPHEROLOGY. — WINDS. 397 



rection across a great portion of the circumference 

 of the globe. In temperate climates, the winds are 

 capricious, and, if we except forcible gales, are in 

 general local. A very little attention, indeed, will 

 discover, that at certain seasons the wind blows 

 from some particular quarter more than any other, 

 though, in the same seasons, winds of various de- 

 grees of force and generality are observed to occur 

 in every point of the compass. Advancing to- 

 wards the polar regions, we find the irregularities 

 of the winds increased, and their locality more stri- 

 king : — storms and calms repeatedly alternate, with- 

 out warning or progression ; — forcible winds blow 

 in one place, when at the distance of a few leagues^ 

 gentle breezes prevail ; — a storm from the south, 

 on one hand, exhausts its impetuosity upon the 

 gentle breeze, blowing from off the ice, on the other, 

 without prevailing in the least ; — ships within the 

 circle of the horizon may be seen enduring every 

 variety of wind and weather at the same moment ; 

 some under close-reefed topsails, labouring under 

 the force of a storm ; some becalmed and tossing 

 about by the violence of the waves ; and others ply- 

 ing under gentle breezes, from quarters as diverse 

 as the cardinal points. The cause of some of these 

 phenomena, has, in the last chapter, been referred 

 to the frigorific influences of the ice, the accuracy 

 of which opinion, experience and observation con- 

 firm. 



