our inquiry stopped here, it will ever be
found by those who may hereafter examine them.

But, 2d. There is a current in the atmosphere, all over the continent
north of the N. E. trades, but in great volume over the United States,
east of the meridian of 105 deg. W. from Greenwich--varying in different
seasons, and upon different parallels, and flowing near the earth, when no
surface wind interposes between them. In the vicinity of New York, the
usual course of this current is from about W. S. W. to E. N. E. In the
western and south-western portion of the United States, it is, doubtless,
more southerly--varying somewhat according to the season--and in other
sections varies in obedience to the general law of its origin, and
progress.

I have observed its course in many places, between the parallels of 38 deg.
and 44 deg. N. _This current comes from the South Atlantic Ocean._ It is our
portion of the aerial current, which flows every where from the tropics
toward the poles, to which I have already alluded in connection with the
distribution of heat. _It brings to us the twenty inches of rain which we
lose by the rivers, and by the westerly winds, which carry off a portion
of the local moisture of evaporation, and its action precipitates the
remaining portion of that moisture. It spreads out over the face of our
country, with considerable, but not entire uniformity. All our great
storms originate in it, and all our showers originate in or are induced
and controlled by it._

_From the varied action, inherent or induced, of this current, most of our
meteorological phenomena, whether of wet or dry, or cold or warm weather,
result_; and a thorough knowledge of its origin, cause, and the reciprocal
action between it and the earth, is essential to a knowledge of the
"_Philosophy of the Weather_."

Let us then go down to the "chambers of the south," to the inter-tropical
regions, of which we have said something in connection with a notice of
Southern Mexico, and see where, and how this great aerial current
originates.

CHAPTER IV.

Between the parallels of 35 deg. north latitude, and 35 deg. south
latitude--changing its location within this limit at different seasons of
the year--encircling the earth, and covering about one-half of its
area--we find the trade-wind region. In this region are the simple and
uniform arrangements, which extend every where, and produce all the
atmospheric phenomena. In the center of it