Chapter VI

Course and functions of the counter-trade--Ours come from the
South Atlantic--Reason why it can not come from the Pacific--
Mistake of Mr. Redfield and Lieutenant Maury in regard to it--
All our storms originate in it--Proofs of this--State of the
weather, whether hot or cold affected by it--Proofs of this--All
our surface winds are incidents of it, and due to its conditions
and attractions--Proofs of this--Character of the different
winds--Anomalies of Mr. Blodgett accounted for--Received theory
in regard to sea and land breezes a mistaken one--Proofs of
this--Peculiar character of the N. W. wind--Identity with the
winter Mexican northers--Character of the West India hurricanes--
Of the thunder-gust--Of the tornado--Sundry particulars in
relation to the latter--Due to currents of electricity--
Proportions of winds in different localities--Examination of the
work of Professor Coffin upon that subject--Examination of
Lieutenant Maury's theory of the monsoons 92

CHAPTER VII.

Height of the counter-trade in different latitudes--Cause of the
Calms of Cancer--Influence of mountains upon the counter-trade--
Reports of Herndon and Gibbon--Focus of precipitation in the
extra-tropical belt north of its southern line--Evidences of
this--The elevation of the counter-trade above the earth varies
in the same latitude with the variations in the phenomena of the
weather--Temperature of the counter-trade--Rain dust, its origin
and indications--Volcanic ashes--How far they indicate its course
of progression--Question whether there is an eastern progression
of the body of the atmosphere above the machinery of distribution 179