Relations of Storms to Contiguous Winds. 325 
_ First, we find on the eastern portion of the Pacifié from ip 
per Califoriia to near the Bay of Panama, an almost constant 
prevalence of northwesterly and westerly winds at the earth’s sur- 
face. Next we have an equally constant wind from the south- 
erm and southwestern quarter which, having swept the western 
coast of South America, extends across the equator to the vicinity 
of Panama, thus meeting, and commonly oversliding the above 
mentioned westerly winds and tending to a deflection or rotation — 
of the same from right to left, €). As this influence may thus 
become extended to the Caribean or Honduras sea, we have 
hext the upper or S. E. trade of this sea, which is here frequent- 
ly a surface wind, and must tend to aid and quicken the gyrative 
movement, €) ascribed to the two previous winds; and lastly, 
we have the N. E. or lower trade from the tropic, which coin- 
ciding with the northern front of the gyration, ©), serves still 
further to promote the revolving movement which may thus re- 
sult from the partial coalescence of these Gra winds of Central 
America and the contiguous seas. 
- Thus, while a great storm is in part on the Pacific ocean, its 
N. E. wind may be felt in great force on that side of the conti- 
hent, through the great gorges or depressions near the bays of 
yo'or Tehuantepec, as noticed by Humboldt, Capt. Basil 
Hall and others, the elevations which there separate the two 
Seas being but inconsiderable; and when the gyration is once 
yr aasae the whole mass will gradually assume the movement 
“predominant current, which is generally the higher one, 
= will move off with it integrally ; as we see in the eases of the 
Vortices which are successively formed in particular portions of a 
stream, where subject to disturbing influences. It is true that 
flerent winds which are found moving direct or obliquely to- 
wards each other in the aérial ocean, are never found to meet, in 
the opposing or antagonistic sense, any more than currents of the 
‘Aqueous ocean ; but they either stratify one upon the other when 
arriving on: the same field, of else blendin a partial or common 
_ Syratior and a united progression of their masses. 
~ There. seems, then, to be pigment cause why the ipeieling 
winds of southern Mexico and | Central al America should essnmne 
i aggregated and sinistrorsal rot «hie 
__ hibited.in the Northers and Atlantic pambedene the Norther 
ee in the dry wind of the Pacific coast, should’ on first 
