898 ATMOSPHERIC OBSERVATIONS. 



should be preserved as a unique specimen, an ex- 

 ample of what magnitude this despised race may 

 attain when suffered to proceed in its own unre- 

 strained vigour. 



Dec. 30. A cold foggy morning, the ground 

 covered with a white frost; about twelve o'clock 

 the sun burst out with great brilliancy, and life and 

 light succeeded to torpor and gloom ; a steam im- 

 mediately arose from our garden beds and ploughed 

 lands, giving us a very strong example of the rapid 

 manner in which the matter of heat (caloric) will 

 at times unite with water. Half an hour before, 

 this water was frozen and inert ; but the instant 

 that the sun^s rays fell upon it, their heat was im- 

 bibed, and the icy matter converted into a body 

 lighter than the atmosphere by which it was sur- 

 rounded, and passed into it in the vapour we have 

 just noticed. I was the more particular in observ- 

 ing this common event, as it afforded a forcible 

 illustration of the invisible evaporation which is 

 constantly going forward, the unremitting changes 

 in operation, the action and reaction of the earth 

 and its products with the atmosphere. During the 

 night, and the earlier parts of the morning, water 

 was falling on the earth in minute particles, consti- 

 tuting what we call fog ; then out burst the sun, 

 and reclaimed this moisture which had fallen, and 

 we could see it obeying the mandate, and pass away 

 in steam. In the evening it will probably return 



