THE WINDS OP THE OCEAN 67 



The normal air currents have failed to maintain an* 

 efficient circulation of the superheated atmosphere, 

 an enormous accumulation of electricity takes place, 

 and all Nature seems to wait in terrified suspense for 

 the adjustment of her forces. The sky assumes a 

 terrible aspect of darkness, with a sort of lurid glow 

 in it, and the heavens appear to solidify and descend 

 upon the earth as if bent upon stifling every living 

 thing. This is all the more dreadful because of its 

 entire contrast to the usual brilliant clearness of the 

 celestial vault in the Trades. Usually it is of a stain- 

 less blue, except near the horizon, where a few fleecy 

 masses of cumulus clouds float languidly, their lower 

 edges just slightly darkened, and all the heavenly 

 bodies glow with intense brightness and splendour. 

 Presently the normal flow of the Trade Wind falters 

 and ceases, the mercury in the tube of the barometer, 

 pumping visibly, falls to an extraordinarily low level 

 for those latitudes, and suddenly, when the suspense 

 has become almost unbearable, the hurricane bursts. 

 All the powers of the air in their highest form of 

 energy seem let loose at once. The wind blows with 

 incredible violence, the rain descends in solid sheets, 

 meeting the masses of water torn from the sea surface, 

 and blending with them so that it is difficult to know 

 whether the sufferer is breathing air or water, the 

 lightning is so incessant and so vivid that the whole 

 universe appears to be on fire. The noise, too, is 

 terrific, the roar of the wind blending with the con- 

 tinuous thunder-roll until nothing is audible but 

 this element of uproar. All the senses are affected. 

 Sight is impossible, for what eyes could pierce that 

 stygian darkness, that dense mixture of air and water ? 



