_, Eastern Asia and Eastern North
America), from which they do not go, and to which they do not return, and
which is almost entirely unfurnished with rain? And all this without any
relation, whatever, to the contiguity of the oceans? Obviously this is not
the work of mere evaporation, or of the accidental or irregular
commingling of winds with different dew points, or quantities of moisture
in solution, or accidental, irregular changes of barometric pressure. _It
is one vast, wonderful, connected, and regular system--co-extensive with
the globe--necessary to the return of moisture from the oceans upon the
most inconsiderable portion of it, and to the condensation of the local
moisture of evaporation; and by it the waters are returned from the oceans
as regularly and bountifully upon the far interior of the great continents
in the same latitudes, as upon the "isles which rest in their bosoms."_

CHAPTER II.

Before proceeding to an examination of this connected atmospheric
machinery, and an investigation of the particular ocean from which our
rivers return, it may be well to look at the form in which they appear to
return, that we may have a clear understanding of terms.

They seem to return in the form of clouds, and in storms and showers,
although, in truth, they return in regular, uniform, ordinarily invisible
currents, and the storms and showers are but condensations in, and
discharges from portions of those currents, aided by the local moisture of
evaporation.

The term _storms_, seems to be used by European meteorologists to denote
what we term thunder showers or gusts, and tornados; while what we call
storms are denominated by them regular rains. As the terms are extensively
in use in this country, we must adhere to the meaning attached to them
_here_ rather than _there_.

Storms with us, then, are regular rains of from six to forty-eight or more
hours' continuance: generally without lightning, or thunder, or gusts, and
usually with wind of more or less force, from some easterly point. They
are called north-east storms, or south-east storms, according to the
point from which the surface winds blow. Practically we shall find that
this distinction is of some importance, for the north-east storms are the
longest, lasting generally twenty-four hours, or more, while the
south-east ones seldom, if ever, continue as long.

These storms extend over a considerable surface, rarely less than one
hundred miles i