Meteorological observations and essays / By John Dalton.

  • John Dalton
Date:
1834
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Meteorological observations and essays / By John Dalton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    being in a dense fog and in a hurricane at the same time. When the obstruction of the moun- tain causes a break in the cloud, the scene at first is awful. The mountain appears like a volcano. Every vista shows a volume of smoke carried off by a whirlwind, and more smoke issuing from va- rious points. In afew moments impenetrable dark- ness resumes its reign, till a fresh break succeeds. In this way the mountaineers, whose object is an extensive view and beautiful prospect, are some- times tantalized ; but the Meteorologist, adopting for his motto, ex fumo dare lucem, may find some important points of science elucidated in such cir- cumstances. In general however, tourists, after being for some time buffeted by the wind and moistened by the humidity, begin to feel and to express their anxiety to get safely down again. Nor is this wish very unreasonable ; for even the most experienced guides are sometimes ata loss how to direct their course. A compass on such occasions is useful. The object is to reach the under surface of the cloud; when all the country below at once becomes visible, and the cloud above is often found to become ram beneath. Sometimes we reach the summit of a mountain in a calm; when, if a fog sets in, it is almost hope- less to expect it to clear off in a short time. I was on Scawfell, the 8th of July 1812, in these circum- stances, in mid-day, and remained for two hours without being able to see in what quarter of the heavens the sun was, and possessing a view around