THE CLOUD REGION, ETC. 283 



compensation. If the sim fail in his supply of heat to this region 

 more of its vapours are condensed, and heat is dischaged from its 

 latent store-houses in quantities just sufficient to keep the machine 

 in the most perfect compensation. If, on the other hand, too 

 much heat be found to accompany the rays of the sun as they 

 impinge upon the upper circumference of this belt, then again 

 on that side the means of self-compensation are ready at hand : 

 so much of the cloud-service as may be requisite is then resolved 

 into invisible vapour — for of invisible vapour are made the 

 vessels wherein the surplus heat of the sun is stored away and 

 held in the latent state until it is called for, when it is instantly 

 set free, and becomes a palpable and an active agent in the grand 

 design. 



523. The Icdent heat liberated in the processes of condensation from 

 and under the cloud-ring, true cause of the trade-winds. — Evaporation 

 under this cloud-ring is suspended almost entirely. We know that 

 the trade-winds encircle the earth ; that they blow perpetually ; 

 that they come from the north and the south, and meet each 

 other near the equator ; therefore we infer that this line of meet- 

 ing extends around the world. By the rainy seasons of the torrid 

 zone, except where it may be broken by the continents, we can 

 trace the declination of this cloud-ring, stretched like a girdle 

 about our planet, up and down the earth ; it travels after the sun 

 up and down the ocean, as from north to south and back. It is 

 broader than the belt of calms out of which it rises. As the air, 

 with its vapours, rises up in this calm belt and ascends, these 

 vapours ai'e condensed into clouds, and this condensation is fol- 

 lowed by a turgid intumescence, which causes the clouds to 

 overflow the calm belt, as it were, both to the north and 

 the south. The air flowing oif in the same direction assumes 

 the character of winds that form the upper currents that 

 are counter (Plate I.) to the trade-winds. These currents 

 carry the clouds still farther to the north and south, and thus 

 make the cloud-ring broader. At least we infer such to be the 

 jase, for the rains are found to extend out into the trade- winds, 



and often to a considerable distance both to the north and the 

 south of the calm belt. 



524. Imagined appearance of the cloud-ring to a distant observer. — 

 Were this cloud-ring luminous, and could it be seen by an ob- 

 server from one of the planets, it would present to him an appear- 

 ance not unlike the rings of Saturn do to us. Such an obsei-ver 



