§ 706. MONSOONS. 377 



gradually the water is released, and the cloud whence the spout 

 came again closes its mouth. "^ 



706. " During the changing of the monsoons, it is mostly calm 

 The east monsoon in or cool, with gcntlc brcczcs, varicd with rain-storms 

 the Java Sea. ^^^^ light galcs fpom all points of the compass. 



They are harassing to the crew, who, with burning faces under 

 the clouded skies,f impatiently trim the sails to the changing 

 winds. However, the atmosphere generally becomes clear, and, 

 contrary to expectation, the northeast wind comes from a clear 

 sky ; about the coming of the monsoon it is northerly. Now the 



* Miniature water-spouts may be produced artificially by means of electricity, and 

 those in nature are supposed to be caused by the display of electrical phenomena. 

 *'From the conductor of an electrical machine," says Dr. Bonzano, of New Orleans, 

 *' suspend by a wire or chain a small metallic ball (one of wood covered with tin- 

 foil), and under the ball place a rather wide metallic basin containing some oil of 

 turpentine, at the distance of about three quarters of an inch. If the handle of the 

 machine be now turned slowly, the liquid in the basin will begin to move in different 

 directions, and form whirlpools. As the electricity on the conductor accumulates, 

 the troubled liquid will elevate itself in the centre, and at last become attached to 

 the ball. Draw off the electricity from the conductor to let the liquid resume its po- 

 sition : a portion of the turpentine remains attached to the ball. Turn the handle 

 again very slowly, and observe now the few drops adhering to the ball assume a con- 

 ical shape, with the apex downward, while the liquid under it assumes also a conical 

 shape, the apex upward, until both meet. As the liquid does not accumulate on the 

 ball, there must necessarily be as great a current downward as upward, giving the 

 column of liquid a rapid circular motion, which continues until the electricity from 

 the conductor is nearly all discharged, silently, or until it is discharged by a spark 

 descending into the liquid. The same phenomena take place with oil or water. 

 Using the latter liquid, the ball must be brought much nearer, or a much greater 

 quantity of electricity is necessary to raise it. 



" If, in this experiment, we let the ball swing to and fro, the little water-spout will 

 travel over its miniature sea, carrying its whirlpools along with it. When it breaks 

 up, a portion of the liquid, and with it any thing it may contain, remains attached 

 to the ball. The fish, seeds, leaves, etc., etc., that have fallen to the earth in rain- 

 squalls, may have owed their elevation to the clouds to the same cause that attaches 

 a few drops of the liquid, with its particles of impurities, to the ball." 



By reference to Plate XIII., we see that the phenomenon of thunder and lightning 

 is of much more frequent occurrence in the North than in the South Atlantic ; and 

 I infer that we have more electrical phenomena in the northern than in the southern 

 hemisphere. Do water-spouts occur on one side of the equator more frequently than 

 they do on the other? I have cruised a great deal on the southern hemisphere, and 

 never saw a water-spout there. According to the log-books at the Observatory, they 

 occur mostly on the north side of the equator. — M. 



t At sea the face and hands burn (change the skin) much quicker under a cloud- 

 ed than under a clear skv. — Jansen. 



