MIGRATIONS OF THE WATERS. 73 



rain amounts to 274-2 French inches, and to 283-3 at Maha- 

 buleshwar, on the western declivity of the Ghauts, which, as far 

 as has hitherto been ascertained, is the place where most rain 

 descends ; only from 35 to 40 inches fall on the western coast 

 of England, where the skies are chronically weeping. 



It is a remarkable circumstance that the annual quantity of 

 rain which falls in the same place remains about the same from 

 year to year ; so that by an admirable balancing of conflicting 

 influences, nature seems to have provided for stability in a pro- 

 vince which of all others might be supposed most open to the 

 caprices of chance. 



Having thus followed the exhalations of ocean to the end of 

 what may be called the first stage of their journey, and seen 

 them descend in a condensed form upon the surface of the dry 

 land, I will now accompany them in their ulterior progress to 

 the bosom of the seas. A great part of them have many trans- 

 formations and changes to undergo ere they can accomplish 

 their return ; repeatedly rising in vapours from the solid earth, 

 and falling in showers upon its surface ; or circulating through 

 the tissues of organic life : but after all these intermediate stages 

 and delays, they ultimately find their way into rivulets or 

 streams, which after many a meander restore them to the vast 

 reservoir from which they arose. 



The waters that descend upon solid rocks, or fall in large 

 quantities upon abrupt declivities, immediately flow into the 

 brooks or rivers; but when they gently and gradually alight 

 upon a porous soil, they are absorbed by the earth, and, dis- 

 placing in virtue of capillary attraction, and of their superior 

 weight, the air which fills the interstices between its solid 

 particles, sink deeper and deeper until they meet with a solid 

 and impenetrable stratum. If this forms a hollow basin, they 

 naturally settle in the cavity ; whence they are slowly displaced 

 by fresh accessions and evaporation ; but if its deepest declivity 

 lies somewhere near the surface, they gradually gush forth 

 under the form of sources or springs, having unequal distances 

 to perform before they can reach the orifice. If no fresh supply 

 of water falls, ere the most distant particles have reached their 

 journey's end, the source dries up : but if new atmospheric 

 precipitations continually take place, the source is perennial, 

 although naturally of unequal strength at different times. 



