3^4 philosophical geograpToy. Feb. 29*. 



clines a little. But whatever is the direction at anj 

 one place, it continues the same throughout the whole 

 year withoU't any variation, and always blows frona 

 some southerly point. But there is this diiFerence 

 between the wind on the coasts of Chili and Angola, 

 that it extends much farther out to sea upon the for- 

 mer than upon the latter. 



In order to explain the cause of this singular phe- 

 nomenon, it is necefsary to recollect, that the general 

 trade-wind is produced by the concurrence of two se- 

 parate causes. One is the great heat of the equato- 

 rial region, by which alone would be produced a con- 

 stant north or south wind. The other is the diurnal 

 revolution of the earth, which would cause a perpe- 

 tual tendency of the air in these warm regions from- 

 east to west. From the concurrence of these two 

 causes result the general trade-winds, which would 

 constantly blow from S. E. or N. E. as we have 

 already demonstrated. But if, in any particular 

 place, one of these two powers be prevented from 

 acting, while the other continues to exert its in- 

 fluence, the general direction of the wind will be 

 varied. ' Thus', if the east wind was checked,, 

 while nothing interrupted the south or north wind, 

 the air would rulb towards the equator in that 

 direction which was nearest and easiest, whether that 

 fhouJd be pointing eastward or westward. Now, as 

 the high mountains in the internal parts of Africa 

 and America interrupt the course of the east wind , 

 near the surface of the earth, while those coasts, of 

 which we now treat, are entirely open to the south, 

 the wind naturally ruflies along the coasts of Chili 

 and Angola from sourh to north ; and as the low 



