West and North West Winds of New-England. 313 
as to be uncomfortable. The following evening, about 8 
o’clock, a violent blast from the north-west began at Green- 
field ; and just about the same time at New-York. It was 
so cold as to freeze, during that night, JWill River,* at the 
Narrows, where the stream is rapid, so hard, that it was 
crossed on the ice the next day by foot passengers; a fact, 
which was not known to have taken place, when the frost 
had operated for so short a time, within sixty years. The 
same day.horses were led over the Hooestennuc, on the 
ice, at Derby. On the same day also, foot passengers 
walked across the Susquehannah. at Havre de Grace; 
where the river is a mile and one fourth in breadth. Soon 
after, | was very credibly, and I presume correctly inform- 
ed, that.the same blast commenced at Norwich, and at 
Boston, about iwo o’ciock in the afternoon. ‘This could 
not have happened, if the wind had merely swept the sur- 
face of the earth: for Norwich lies seventy travelled miles 
eastward of Greenfield; and Boston one hundred and fifty- 
eight. From New-York Norwich lies eighty miles east- 
ward, measured ona parallel of latitude, and filty miles 
northward, on a meridian; and Boston one hundred and 
twenty eastward, and the same distance northward: the 
oblique distance, as travelled, being about two hundred and 
ten. 
“This opinion is also strongly supported by the facts, that 
the westerly winds are generally much cooler than the tem- 
perature of the atmosphere immediately preceding ; and 
that this change, in a great proportion of instances, exists 
almost instantaneously. ‘These facts would, 1 think, be 
impossible from the mere inovements of that volume of air, 
which rests on the surface. 
‘These winds are purer than any others; a fact universal- 
ly remarked throughout this country. During their prev- 
alence the lungs are feasted, and the frame invigorated, in 
@such a manner as is never experienced at any other season. 
Their influence on plants, also, is entirely peculiar. It is 
customarily said by those who have long cultivated tobac- . 
co, that its leaves are perceptibly thicker, and heavier, af- 
ter a north-west wind has blown two or three days, than at 
any other time; and sucha season is considered by skilful 
cultivators as the best for cutting this plant. When grass 
* In Fairfield. 
Vou. VIIT.——No. 2 AQ) 
