332 THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SEA. 



draws more and more toward the north, lies to the left of the 

 southwest monsoon, it may be readily conceived why the motion 



of this whirl should be from the right hand to the left I J^, or 



contrary to the movements of the hands of a watch. 



947. "Thus, when upon the limit of the African monsoon a cir- 

 cular motion in the air arises, we may infer, from the situation of 

 the currents of air, and their relation to each other, that the move- 

 ment will be from the right side to the left. For the same rea- 

 son, the motion in the southern hemisphere in the South Indian 

 Ocean is from the left hand to the right. Looking at the north 

 pole, we find here the currents of air just the other way ; the south- 

 east and the southwest — the deflected southeast — are to the left of 

 the northwest monsoon. Therefore, wdien a circular motion there 

 takes place upon the limit of the monsoon, it must go from the 



left hand to the right f % or with the hands of a watch. 



948. "The want of knowledge prevents me from venturing to 

 penetrate into the ' hidden chambers out of which the whirlwind 

 comes,' for disturbances in the circulation of the atmosphere must, 

 like the revolutions of human society, bring all the natural forces 

 into commotion, and they, in the strife which they wage, become 

 renewed and strengthened to perform their appointed work for the 

 universal welfare, and pass away like the all-destroying meteor, 

 after having accomplished its terror-awaking mission. The strife 

 — if indeed I may call the opposite workings in nature strife — is 

 violent, terrible. The monsoon has attained its greatest strength, 

 the disturbance in the circulation of the atmosphere has reached 

 its utmost limits, the vapor and the heavy clouds act in harmony 

 no longer, and with wild violence the uproar, nursed in silence, 

 breaks forth. ' The way for the lightning of the thunder' appears 

 to be broken up. 



949. "In the South Indian Ocean (25° south latitude), a hur- 

 ricane accompanied by hail was observed,* by which several of 

 the crew were made blind, others had their faces cut open, and 

 those who were in the rigging had their clothes torn off from 



* The Rhijin, Captain Brandligt. 



