112 



UNITED STATE^S* 



become diy, by depositing on the mountains the hu- 

 midity it brings: finally, in violent agitations of the 

 atmosphere, as the currents mingle, their qualities 

 may be temporarily changed and confounded toge- 

 ther. 



On the other hand, when we consider, that the, 

 territory of the United States is traversed only by 

 mountains of an inferior order, which do not oppose 

 to the currents of air an obstacle sufficient to inter- 

 tupt their course, we perceive why the winds here> 

 are and must be almost always general. In fact 

 there is no striking exception to this general rule 

 but the sea and land breezes, which take place dur- 

 ing the six summer months, and which are governed 

 by the direction of the coast or the beds of rivers, 

 and by the distance, slope, and aspect of the chains 

 and ridges of mountains. For instance, from Florida 

 to New Jersey the breeze inclines to the south-east, 

 and we see the land slopes and the coast turns to that 

 quarter. On the contrary, from New York to Cape 

 Cod the breeze is due south ; and from Cape Cod ta 

 N rva Scotia it comes from the east and north-east, 

 the same principle still applying to these different 

 cases. In like manner too it is more languid or more 

 brisk, stronger or weaker, earlier or later, accord- 

 ing to the greater or less intensity of the heat, the 

 grCiiter or less slope of the land, and the distance or 

 proximity of the heights, where the focus of suction 

 is formed, as the seaman well knows by experience. 



From these facts arise two corollaries, that throw 

 great ligiu on physical geogr aphy. 



One, that the temperature or climate of a country 



