ON THE GEOLOGICAL AGENCY OF THE WINDS. 231 



644. The whole region of the extra-tropical Old World that is 

 included within the ranges marked, is the region which has most 

 land to windward of it in the southern hemisphere. Now it is a 

 curious coincidence, at least, that all the great extra-tropical des- 

 erts of the earth, with those regions in Europe and Asia which 

 have the least amount of precipitation upon them, should lie with- 

 in this range. That they are situated under the lee of the south- 

 ern continents, and have but Kttle rain, may be a coincidence, I 

 admit ; but that these deserts of the Old World are placed where 

 they are is no coincidence — no accident : they are placed where 

 they are, and as they are, by design ; and in being so placed, it was 

 intended that they should subserve some grand purpose in the ter- 

 restrial economy. Let us see, therefore, if we can discover any 

 other marks of that design — any of the purposes to be subserved 

 by such an arrangement — and trace any connection between that 

 arrangement and the supposition which I maintain as to the place 

 where the winds that blow over these regions derive their vapors. 



645. It will be remarked at once that all the inland seas of 

 Asia, and all those of Europe except the semi-fresh-water gulfs of 

 the north, are within this range. The Persian Gulf and the Eed 

 Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black, and the Caspian, all fall within 

 it. And why are they planted there ? Why are they arranged 

 to the northeast and southwest under this lee, and in the very di- 

 rection in which theory makes this breadth of thirsty winds to 

 prevail ? Clearly and obviously, one of the purposes in the di- 

 vine economy was, that they might replenish with vapor the winds 

 which are almost vaporless when they arrive at these regions in 

 the general system of circulation. And why should these winds 

 be almost vaporless ? They are almost vaporless because their 

 route, in the general system of circulation, is such, that they are 

 not brought into contact with a water-surface from which the 

 needful supplies of vapor are to be had ; or, being obtained, the 

 supplies have since been taken away by the cool tops of mountain 

 ranges over which these winds have had to pass. 



646. In the Mediterranean, the evaporation is greater than the 

 precipitation. Upon the Eed Sea there never falls a drop of rain ; 

 it is all evaporation. Are we not, therefore, entitled to regard the 



