116 
NATURE FOR ITS OWN SAKE 
Wind and 
ware. 
Wave 
travel. 
sea-surface it makes itself apparent at first in 
little catches or quivers on the water. The wind 
itself comes in fitful puffs and squalls, and it is 
these little inequalities of wind-pressure that 
make possible the breaking of the surface at 
the start. As the wind increases in force the 
surface is covered with small, facet-like waves 
that flash ight and color with great brilliancy. 
With a stronger wind we have what is called a 
“‘chop sea,” in which waves scurry hither and 
thither, driven by local gusts, crossing and 
breaking upon each other in small dashes of 
foam. If the wind is long continued from one 
direction the general drift of the waves and the 
water will be toward the opposite point of the 
compass. The harder and stronger the blowing 
of the wind, the more uniform the travel of 
the waves, though they are always more or less 
ruffled on their surfaces by eddies and contrary 
gusts, and occasionally a wave set ina lateral 
direction breaks in upon the line and churns up 
a great yeast of foam, 
With a stiff wind the sea shows us waves 
crested with foam and commonly referred to as 
‘“‘white-caps.” These caps are produced by the 
crest being driven faster with the wind than the 
body of the wave, thus losing its support; or 
