THEORY CONFIRMED BY PHENOMENA. 59 



Mr. Redfield thinks that these facts can only be accounted 

 for on the supposition, that these storms are exhibited in 

 the form of great whirlwinds. 



As a more particular proof of this position, he details the 

 facts which occurred in Connecticut, as one of these storms 

 passed there in 1821. He says " that the mass of atmo- 

 sphere upon the earth's surface was moving for several 

 hours, apparently towards the north west, over Middletown, 

 with a probable velocity of seventy-five or one hundred 

 miles per hour, while in the northern parts of Litchfield 

 county, at a distance say of forty miles, the wind, at about 

 the same period, was blowing with nearly equal violence 

 in the opposite direction," towards Middletown. Now, it 

 will appear by a little reflection, that all these facts agree 

 with the idea of an upward vortex, more consistently than 

 with a horizontal whirlwind. 



Indeed, I do not hesitate to say, that the last fact is in- 

 consistent with a horizontal whirlwind, and proves, with 

 irresistible evidence, the existence of an upward vortex, at 

 least in this storm. For two winds cannot blow towards 

 each other for several hours as here described, without either 

 rising upwards when they meet, or blowing outwards at 

 the sides. But we have proof positive, that they did not 

 blow outwards at the sides, for at New York, south west 

 of the point between Middletown and Litchfield, to which 

 the winds from those places were blowing, the wind changed 

 round by the north to the north west, or west, about the 

 time these winds began to blow violently. And we have 

 strong reason to believe that it did not blow outwards to 

 the north east, for, at the commencement of the storm, 

 through its whole course, the wind always blew from some 

 eastern point. 



There is one conclusion which Mr. Redfield draws, which 

 I do not find to be justified by facts detailed in this storrn. 

 " That along the central portion of the track, the storm was 

 violent from the south eastern quarter, changing suddenly 



