422 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA, AXD ITS METEOROLOGY. 



tion opposite to that in which the general circulation carries it. 

 The atmosphere, in its movements along its regular channels of 

 circulation, may be hkened, that in the southern hemisphere to a 

 fast railway train ; that of the northern to a slow. The slow train 

 may, when " steam is up," run as fast as the fast train, but it is not 

 obliged to get through so quick; therefore it may dally by the 

 way, stop, run back, and still be through in time. Not so the fast ; 

 it has not time to stop often or to run back far ; neither have the 

 counter-trades of the south time to blow backward ; consequently, 

 such being the conditions, we should also expect to find in the 

 extra-tropical south a gale with easting in it much more seldom 

 than in the extra-tropical north. 



821. We shall appeal to observations for the correctness of this 

 Gales in the two Qoujecture, and claim for it, also, as presently vvill 

 hemispheres. appear, tho dignity of an established truth in marine 



meteorology. 



Average Number (to the 1000 Observations) of Gales, with Easting and with Westing 

 in them, betioeen the corresponding Parallels in the North and South Atlantic, as 

 shown by the Storm and Bain Charts. 



Between 40° and 45°, 

 Between 45° and 50°, 

 Between 50° and 55° 



Number of Observations . . 

 Gales in 1000 do., with easting . 



„ „ „ westing 



Number of Observations . . 

 Gales in 1000 do., with easting . 



„ „ „ westing 



Number of Observations . . 



Gales in 1000 do., with easting 



westing 



Thus the Storm and Rain Charts show that between the parallels 

 of 40^ and 55° there were in the northern hemisphere 33,515 

 observations, and that for every 1000 observations there were 24 

 gales with easting and 105 with westing. That in the southern, 

 there were 19,473 observations, and for every 1000 of these there 

 were 5 gales with easting and 80 with westing in them. Those for 

 the southern hemisphere are only for that part of the ocean through 

 which vessels pass on their way to and fro aroimd Cape Horn. 

 That part of this route which hes between 40^ and 55° S., is under 

 the lee of South America; and Patagonia, that hes east of the 

 Andes, is almost a rainless region ; consequently, we might expect 



