THE GEOLOGICAL AGENCY OF THE WINDS. 295 



as sharply defined in nature as the lines suggested, or as Plate 

 VII. would represent them to be. 



545. Tlieir situation, and the range of dry minds. — The whole 

 region of the extra-tropical Old World that is included wdthin 

 the ranges marked is the region which has most land to windward 

 of it in the southern hemisphere. Now it is a curious coincidence, 

 at least, that all the great extra-tropical deserts of the earth, with 

 those regions in Europe and Asia which have the least amount 

 of precipitation upon them, should lie within this range. That 

 they are situated under the lee of the southern continents, 

 and have but little rain, may be a coincidence, I admit ; but 

 that these deserts of the Old World are placed where they are 

 is no coincidence — ^no accident : they are placed where they are, 

 and as they are, by design; and in being so placed, it was 

 intended that they should subserve some grand purpose in the 

 terrestrial economy. Let us see, therefore, if we can discover 

 an^^ other marks of that design — any of the purposes to be sub- 

 served by such an arrangement — and trace any connection 

 between that arrangement and the supposition w^hich I maintain 

 as to the place where the winds that blow over these regions 

 derive their vapours. It will be remarked ,at once that all the 

 inland seas of Asia, and all those of Europe except the semi- 

 fresh-water gulfs of the north, aie within this range. The 

 Persian Gulf and the Ked Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black, 

 and the Caspian, all fall within it. And why are they planted 

 there ? Why are they arranged to the north-east and south-west 

 tinder this lee, and in the very direction in which theory makes 

 this breadth of thirsty wdnds to prevail ? Clearly and obviously, 

 one of the purposes in the divine economy was, that they might 

 replenish with vapour the winds that are almost vapourless 

 when they arrive at these regions in the general system of 

 circulation. And why should these winds be almost vapourless ? 

 Thej^ are almost vapourless because their route, in the general 

 sj'stem of circulation, is such, that they are not brought into 

 contact with a water-surface from which the needful suj^plies of 

 vapour are to be had; or, being obtained, the supplies have 

 since been taken away by the cool tops of mountain ranges over 

 which these winds have had to pass. 



546, Tlie Mediterranean idtliin it. — In the jMediterranean, the 

 evaporation is greater than the precipitation. Upon the Eed 

 Sea there never falls a drop of rain ; it is all evaporation. Are 



