EQUATORIAL RAINS. 
119 
We have nere considered the cessation of the breezes as 
the principal cause of the equatorial rains. These rains in 
each hemisphere last only as long as the sun has its decli- 
nation in that hemisphere. It is necessary to observe, that 
the absence of the breeze is not always succeeded by a dead 
calm; but that the calm is often interrupted, particularly 
a on g the western coast of America, by lendavalex, or soutli- 
’"est and south-east winds. This phenomenon seems to 
( emonstrate that the columns of humid air which rise in the 
northern equatorial zone, sometimes flow oil' toward the 
south pole. In fact, the countries situated in the torrid 
*on.e, both north and south of the equator, furnish, during 
.j r summer, while the sun is passing through their zenith, 
ttle maximum of difference of temperature with the air of the 
wfu° S ^ e pole. The southern temperate zone has its winter, 
'hue it rains on the north of the equator; and while a mean 
neat prevails from 5° to 6° greater than in the time of 
m-ought, when the sun is lower* The continuation of the 
ains, while the bendamles blow, proves that the currents 
r °m the remoter pole do not act in the northern equi- 
zone like the currents of the nearer pole, on account 
a the greater humidity of the southern polar current. The 
im’ % this current, comes from a hemisphere consist- 
g almost entirely of water. It traverses all the southern 
riuatorial zone to reac h the parallel of 8° north latitude ; 
a 18 consequently less dry, less cold, less adapted to act as 
‘counter-current to renew the equinoctial air and prevent 
f 8 ^^ration, than the northern polar current, or the breeze 
a oin the north-east. t We may suppose that the bendavales 
tW lm ? etuous winds w hich, on some coasts, for instance on 
r e ^ i Ouatimala, (because they are not the effect of a 
to f‘ a J and progressive descent - of the air of the tropics 
; U:(y, S t ! lu sou th pole, but they alternate with calms), are 
^ mpanied by electrical explosions, and are in fact squalls, 
P e e( l uatnr to 1 0“ of north hit. the mean temperatures of the 
the tor a winter m0Ilt hs scarcely differ 2° or 3° ; but at the limits of 
to 8° 0 ^ 9 ° ZOne> * 0war d the tropic of Cancer, the difference amounts 
that Uie^- C V™ tem P erate zones the air loses its transparency every time 
that has^ 111 ^ ^ ows ^ roin t ^ ie opposite pole, that is to say, from the pole 
ki°W8. n0t same denomination as the hemisphere in which the wind 
