CHAPTER V. 



MOVEMENTS OF THE AIR. 



UPON the blue horizon of the scene we are con- 

 templating, something resembling a white cloud 

 may be seen gently gliding along the distant 

 waters. By the aid of a telescope we make out 

 this white object to be a vessel under sail. In 

 a little time it is lost to view ; it appeared to 

 sink into the vacancy between the water-edge 

 of the horizon and the sky which it almost 

 appears to touch. Turning our eyes toward 

 the sky, we perceive the light and fleecy clouds, 

 which seem at a great depth in the firmament, 

 to be also borne smoothly and slowly along. 

 The smoke of a cottage chimney beneath us 

 does not rise straight into the air, but is slightly 

 bent to one side, and stretches out slantingly 

 upwards for some distance. The browsing of a 

 sheep hard by has shaken a full ripe thistle. 



" A whitening shower of vegetable down 

 Amusive floats," 



and is carried silent and smoothly over the field, 

 until it is lost to sight. 



All these indicate movements in the air, 



