STORMS. ■ 331 



945. "Hurricanes are sometimes observed upon the limits of 

 the African monsoon, and upon the limits of the monsoon of the 

 East Indian Archipelago. In this Archipelago hurricanes or right 

 heavy spouts are seldom seen. However, hurricanes have heen 

 observed in the southern hemisphere, between 88° and 90° east 

 longitude; they are also found in September in 13° north lati- 

 tude and 29° west longitude, and in 16° 33^ north latitude and 

 24° 20^ west longitude ; the latter also in 18° north latitude and 

 25° west longitude, and in 16° 30'' north latitude and 26° 40' 

 west longitude ;* yet not in the monsoon — so much is known to 

 me — but right upon its limits ; also in the equatorial belt which 

 wavers about the monsoon, and which becomes narrower and nar- 

 rower as it recedes from the equator. 



946. "Now, when we remember what is said (§ 820) of the 

 spring changing in the southern hemisphere, which agrees with 

 the autumnal changing in the northern hemisphere, and think of 

 the combat which is then so manifestly waged between the vari- 



t ous currents of air and the numerous spouts which arise in the 

 East Indian Archipelago by the aid of small groups of islands, 

 then we shall be less surprised to find a similar effect produced 

 upon the limit of the African monsoon, especially when it pushes 

 the equatorial belt of calms quite over to a portion of the Cape 

 Verd Islands. When we take into account that this belt becomes 

 narrower and narrower as it is removed from the equator — that also 

 the different currents of air, which draw in opposite directions, lie 

 closer to each other — that the southwest and northwest winds ap- 

 proach very near to each other, and that the latter, in August and 

 September, are deflected out of their course by the heights of the 

 Cape Verd Islands, then not much more is necessary to enable one 

 to comprehend why a wind which, coming from the northeast, 

 and veering by the north around to the northwest, should, as it 

 meets the southwest winds, make a complete revolution, and in 

 so doing form a whirlwind, which would go traveling through the 

 northeast and southeast trade-winds, especially when the moisture 

 and electricity of these ak cuiTcnts are different, as is generally 

 the case. And seeing also that the northeast trade-wind, as it 



* Redfield. 



