"
"If you mean that the air accidentally, or even permanently, holds in
solution a certain quantity of water, or a portion of carbonic acid
gas, and possibly some particles of dust arising from terrestrial
bodies, then I grant your premises."
"No; what I mean is, that the air of Hawai is composed of three
distinct elements."
"Possibly; but if so, the air in question is not known to chemists."
"These three elements are oxygen, hydrogen, and insects."
"Ah, insects! I might have fancied you were driving at some hypothesis
of that sort."
"I intend to communicate this discovery to the first learned society
we fall in with."
"In the Pacific Ocean?"
"Yes: there or elsewhere."
"I always understood," observed Willis, "that air was a sort of cloud,
one and indivisible."
"A cloud if you like, Willis; but do you know the weight of it you
carry on your shoulders?"
"Well, it cannot be very great, otherwise I should feel it."
"What do you say to a ton or so, old fellow?"
"If you wish me to believe that, you will have to explain how, where,
when, why, and wherefore."
"Very good. Willis; you have bathed sometimes?"
"Yes, certainly."
"In the sea?"
"Yes."
"Do you know what water weighs?"
"No, but I know that it is heavy."
"Well, a square yard of air weighs two pounds and a half, but a square
yard of water weighs two thousand pounds.
Pages:
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352