70 THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. 



of the ocean lead tlirougli it; only the adventurous whaleman 

 finds his way there now and then in pursuit of his game ; but for 

 all the purposes of science and navigation, it is a vast unknown 

 region. Now, were the prevailing winds of the South Atlantic 

 northerly or southerly, instead of easterly or westerly, this un- 

 plowed sea would be an oft-used thoroughfare. Nay, more, the 

 sea supplies the winds with food for the rain which these busy 

 messengers convey away from the ocean to "the springs in the 

 valleys which run among the hills." To the philosopher, the 

 places which supply the vapors are as suggestive and as interest- 

 ing for the instruction they afford, as the places are upon which 

 the vapors are showered down. Therefore, as he who studies the 

 physical geography of the land is expected to make himself ac- 

 quainted with the regions of precipitation, so he who looks into 

 the physical geography of the sea should search for the regions 

 of evaporation, and for those springs in the ocean which supply 

 the reservoirs among the mountains with water to feed the riv- 

 ers ; and, in order to conduct this search properly, he must con- 

 sult the winds, and make himself acquainted with their " circuits." 

 Hence, in a work on the Physical Geography of the Sea and its 

 Meteorology, we treat also of the Atmosphere. 



