The Botanic Garden, a Poem in Two Parts. Part 1: the Economy of VegetationDarwin, Erasmus
History
The Botanic Garden, a Poem in Two Parts. Part 1: the Economy of Vegetation
Darwin, Erasmus
Natural history; Plants -- Poetry; Portland Vase
2. But it is not only at the place where the air ascends at the northern
extremity of the rainy monsoon, and where it forms tornadoes, as
observed above by Mr. Bruce, but over a great tract of country several
degrees in length in certain parts as in the Arabian sea, a perpetual
rain for several months descends, similar to what happens for weeks
together in our own climate in a less degree during the south-west
winds. Another important question presents itself here, _if the climate
to which this south-west wind arrives, it not colder than that it comes
from, why should it deposit its moisture during its whole journey? if it
be a colder climate, why does it come thither?_ The tornadoes of air
above described can extend but a little way, and it is not easy to
conceive that a superior cold current of air can mix with an inferior
one, and thus produce showers over ten degrees of country, since at
about three miles high there is perpetual frost; and what can induce
these narrow and shallow currents to flow over each other so many
hundred miles?
Though the earth at the northren extremity of this monsoon may be more
heated by certain circumstances of situation than at the line, yet it
seems probable that the intermediate country between that and the line,
may continue colder than the line (as in other parts of the earth) and
hence that the air coming from the line to supply this ascent or
destruction of air at the northern extremity of the monsoon will be
cooled all the way in its approach, and in consequence deposit its
water. It seems probable that at the northern extremity of this monsoon,
where the tornadoes or hurricanes exist, that the air not only ascends
but is in part converted into water, or otherwise diminished in
quantity, as no account is given of the existence of any superior
currents of it.
As the south-west winds are always attended with a light atmosphere, an
incipient vacancy, or a great diminution of air must have taken place to
the northward of them in all parts of the earth wherever they exist, and
a deposition of their moisture succeeds their being cooled by the
climate they arrive at, and not by a contrary current of cold air over
them, since in that case the barometer would not sink. They may thus in
our own country be termed monsoons without very regular periods.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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