288 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA, AND ITS METEOROLOGY. 



were it not so, there would be a permanent increase or decrease of 

 the quantity of water thus put and kept in circulation by the ^vinds, 

 which would be followed by a corresponding change of hygrometrical 

 conditions, which, in turn, would draw after it permanent changes 

 of climate ; and permanent changes of climate would involve the 

 ultimate well-being of myriads of organisms, both in the vegetable 

 and animal kingdoms. The quantity of moisture that the atmo- 

 sphere keeps in circulation is, no doubt, just that quantity which 

 is best suited to the well-being, and most adapted to the proper 

 development of the vegetable and animal kingdoms ; and that 

 quantity is dependent upon the arrangement and the proportions 

 that we see in natm'e between the land and the water — between 

 mountain and desert, river and sea. If the seas and evaporating 

 sm'faces were changed, and removed from the places they occupy 

 to other places, the principal places of precipitation probably would 

 also be changed : whole families of plants would wither and die for 

 want of cloud and sunshine, dry and wet, in proper proportions and 

 in due season; and, with the bhght of plants, whole tribes of 

 animals would also perish. Under such a chance arrangement, 

 man would no longer be able to rely upon the early and the latter 

 rain, or to count with certainty upon the rains being sent in due 

 season for seed-time and harvest. And that the rain will be sent 

 in due season we are assured from on high ; and when we recollect 

 who it is that " sendeth " it, we feel the conviction strong within us, 

 that He sendeth the rain, has the winds for his messengers ; and 

 that they may do his bidding, the land and the sea were arranged, 

 both as to position and relative proportions, where they are, and as 

 they are. 



551. It should be borne in mind that, by this hypothesis, the 

 The Red Sea and its south-cast tradc-wiuds, after they rise up at the 

 vapours. equatoT (Plate I.) have to overleap the north-east 



trade-winds. Consequently, they do not touch the earth until near 

 the tropic of Cancer (see the bearded arrows, Plate YII.)? niore 

 frequently to the north than to the south of it ; but for a part of 

 every year, the place where these vaulting south-east trades first 

 strike the earth, after leaving the other hemisphere, is very near 

 this tropic. On the equatorial side of it, be it remembered, the 

 north-east trade-winds blow ; on the polar side, what were the 

 south-east trades, and what are now the prevailing south-westerly 

 winds of our hemisphere, prevail. Now examine Plate YII., and 

 it wiU be seen that the upper half of the Ked Sea is north of the 



