28 
The Natural Hiftory of the Book I. 
They roufe the loweft Waves, that flept before, 
And heave huge Billows tow’rds the lab’ring Shore. 
As thefe quick Tranfitions of the Wind to the feveral cardinal ee 
is a notorious Matter of Fat, with refpeét to Hurricanes, how inexcu nc 
able muft thofe be, who, without any Inquiry, ridicule the pane ° 
a Storm in the Book of Fob; becaufe the Author makes the Storm to a ect 
the Four Corners of the Houfe, as if it were at once! which indeed is no 
lefs a true, than an elegant Defcription, of fuch a Storm. 
It is obferved, that the Glare of Lightnings is, in general, more expanded 
in thefe hot, than in Northern Climates. ‘This is undoubtedly occafioned 
by the greater Rarefaction of the Air near the Equator. However, in 
Yimes of violent Hurricanes (if of any long Continuance), the Rapidity 
of the Wind and Rain prefles on, and forces a prodigious Quantity of heavy 
Air in the room of the more rarefied, which is obliged to fly upwards, 
and to give way: Then the Atmofphere becomes as much condenfed, 
during the Storm, as in any Northern Climate: And therefore the Light- 
ning, being more clofely prefled by fo thick a Medium, would appear, and 
in reality be, more compaét, than when lefs refifted by the common mofe 
rarefied Air. It is chiefly owing to this, with a {mall Allowance for the 
Confternation and Fear that the Inhabitants were then poffeffed with, that 
we can in fome meafure reafonably account for their defcribing the then 
Lightnings to be fo very uncommon to them, as to appear like fo many 
Wedges or Bolts of Fire in the Air. 
I am of Opinion, that all Hurricanes begin in variable Climates ; other- 
wife we fhould not in all Probability have here any fuch Storms at all ; 
for as the Air is very much rarefied near the Equator, its Particles are at a 
great Diftance from one another, and confequently a& with a lefs Force 
and Struggle, than when «nearly comprefled between a thicker Medium. 
This (ceteris paribus) may be evidently feen by the great Power of Air 
pent up in a Wind-Gun, which will force Leaden Bullets through an Half- 
inch Deal-toard ; fo that where-ever the Particlesof Air are moft compreffed 
together, there the greater will their Struggle be to expand, or dilate. 
Hence all fuch variable Climates will be more liable to Storms. We 
may likewife add, that the nearer any of our Wef-India Hlands is to 
the main Land, whofe Mountains near the Shore are very high, if the 
Storm blows upon the Ifland from the oppofite Point ; for laftance If 
it comes from the North-eaft ; and the adjacent Continent, oppofite to 
that Point, rifes with very high Lands (the Storm meeting with this 
Refiftance, and being ftill violently prefled againft the Sides of thefe 
Hills); the remaining Particles of rarefied Air will, according to their 
Nature, mount upward, leaving the lowermoft ftill more condenfed ; 
and as every Particle of Air hath an elaftic Quality, the greater the 
Number is of thefe that are compreffed together, their uni 
Pp gether, their united Force 
will 
