THE BAROMETER AND THE WEATHER. 187 



the gas is converted into cloud or mist, and the barometer falls 

 just at the same time and same rate as this is produced ; but 

 the rain comes some time afterward. Hence the use of the 

 barometer as a * ' weather glass. ' ' When intelligently and prop- 

 erly used it is very valuable in this capacity ; but, like most 

 things, it may easily be misunderstood and misused. 



The most common error in the use of the barometer is that 

 to which people are naturally led by the words engraved upon 

 it, " Stormy, Much Rain, Rain, Change, Fair, Set Fair," etc. 

 A direct and absolute blunder or falsehood is usually short- 

 lived, and deceives but few people ; but a false statement, 

 with a certain amount of superficial truth, may survive for 

 ages, and deceive whole generations. Now this latter is just 

 the character of the weather signs that are engraved on our 

 popular barometers ; they are unsound and deceptive, but not 

 utterly baseless. 



Stormy, Much Rain, and Rain are marked against the low 

 readings of the barometer, and Very Dry, Set Fair, and Fair 

 against the higher readings. A low barometer is not a reliable 

 sign of wet or stormy weather, neither is a high barometer to 

 be depended upon for expecting fine weather ; and yet it is 

 true that we are more likely to have fine weather with a high 

 than with a low barometer, and also the liability to rain and 

 storms is greater with a low than with a high barometer. 



The best indications of the weather are those derived from 

 the direction in which the barometer is moving whether rising 

 or falling rather than its mere absolute height. 



A sudden and considerable fall is an almost certain indica- 

 tion of strong winds and stormy weather. This is the most 

 reliable of the prophetic warnings of the barometer, and the 

 most useful, inasmuch as it affords the mariner just the warn- 

 ing he requires when lying off a dangerous coast, or otherwise 

 in peril by a coming gale. Many a good ship has been saved 

 by intelligent attention to the barometer, and by running into 

 haven, or away from a rocky shore, when the barometer has 

 fallen with unusual rapidity. 



The next in order of reliability is the indication afforded 

 by a steady and continuous fall after a long period of fine 

 weather. This is usually followed by a decided change of 

 (veather, and the greater the fall the more violent the change. 

 If the fall is slow, and continues steadily for a long time, the 

 change is likely to be less sudden but more permanent, i.e. the 

 rain will probably arrive after some time) and then continue 

 steadily for a long period. 



