In the lower
strata of the atmosphere, we may sometimes, during a storm, observe similar
phenomena in the limited aerial current, which is indicated by a narrow line
of trees, which are often found to be overthrown in the midst of a dense
wood.
The general movement of the sea from east to west between
p 307
the tropics (termed the equatorial or rotation currnt) is considered to be
owing to the propagation of tides and to the trade winds. Its direction is
changed by the resistance it experiences from the prominent eastern shores
of continents. The results recently obtained by Daussy regarding the
velocity of this current, estimated from observations made on the distances
traversed by bottles that had purposely been thrown into the sea, agree
within one eighteenth with the velocity of motion (10 French nautical miles,
952 toises each, in 24 hours) which I had found from a comparison with
earlier experiments.*
[footnote] *Humboldt, 'Relat. Hist.', t. i., p. 67; 'Nouvelles Annales des
Voyages', 1839, p. 255.
Christopher Columbus, during his third voyage, when he was seeking to enter
the tropics in the meridian of Teneriffe, wrote in his journal as follows:*
"I regard it as proved that the waters of the sea move from east to west, as
do the heavens ('las aguas van con los cielos'), that is to say, like the
apparent motion of the sun, moon, and stars.
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