On the ■prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 23 



posite to that in which it has been feh during the preceding part of 

 its progress, and that at the immediate center of the whirl, little or no 

 violence of effect can at any time be experienced. It is further evi- 

 dent that, towards one side of the track of a whirlwind, it must blow 

 /I ill a direction which is retrograde from that of its progress, while, on 

 I the opposite portion of the track, the direction of the wind will be 

 f found in the contrary direction, and coinciding with the progressive 

 motion of the body of the whirlwind. Now these known phenom- 

 ena, or peculiarities of a whirlvyind, appear to have been fully exhib- 

 ited by the storm in question, though on a more extensive scale, and 

 for aught that appears, may also be exhibited in some degree, by ev- 

 ery other storm. We might expect, however, to find in the supposed 

 revolutions of the great masses which compose our easterly storms, 

 the violence of effect to be lessened in due proportion to the magni- 

 tude of the revolving mass, and the increase of surface affording re- 

 sistance, except in cases where the amount and duration of the rota- 

 tive forces should be adequate to the production of equal velocities. 

 The duration of the storm, also, at each of the several points over 

 which it passes, instead of being momentary, as in the lesser whirl- 

 winds, must increase with the dimensions of the revolving mass. 



If our position be conceded, then it is no longer difficult to explain 

 the paradox, or mystery, which otherwise pertains to the phenomena 

 exhibited by this storm, and all others of a similar character. We 

 can now perceive why the wind may blow, even with excessive vio- 

 lence, at one point, and yet scarcely be felt in a position but a few 

 miles distant from the regular track of the storm. We can trace 

 the circumvolution which produces such a contrariety in the direc- 

 tion of the wind on the opposite sides, or portions, of the revolving 

 mass, and we can appreciate the centrifugal tendency and other 

 causes, which produce about the rotative axis of the storm, that sus- 

 pension of effect which occurs on each successive portion of the 

 track over which its center of rotation may pass. We can also per- 

 ceive the cause of the sudden change of wind at this crisis of the 

 storm, and we can satisfactorily explain the more gradual changing 

 or veering of the wind, which takes place on the more eastern or 

 western portions of the advancing storm. We can discern the reason 

 why, in seamen's phrase, " a north-wester will never remain long in 

 debt to a south-eastei," and we may also appreciate some of the 

 causes which render the last semi-diameter of the rotative mass a dry 

 wind, in a short period after this change in its direction. 



