the total surface of the globe, and this would lead to very disastrous
results. The air in contact with the higher mountain slopes would
rapidly discharge its water, which would run down the mountain sides in
torrents. This condensation on every side of the mountains would leave a
partial vacuum which would set up currents from every direction to
restore the equilibrium, thus bringing in more super-saturated air to
suffer condensation and add its supply of water, again increasing the
in-draught of more air. The result would be that winds would be
constantly blowing toward every mountain range from all directions,
keeping up the condensation and discharging, day and night and from one
year's end to another, an amount of water equal to that which falls
during the heaviest tropical rains. All of the rain that now falls over
the whole surface of the earth and ocean, with the exception of a few
desert areas, would then fall only on rather high mountains or steep
isolated hills, tearing down their sides in huge torrents, cutting deep
ravines, and rendering all growth of vegetation impossible. The
mountains would therefore be so devastated as to be uninhabitable, and
would be equally incapable of supporting either vegetable or animal
life.

But this constant condensation on the mountains would probably check the
deposit on the lowlands in the form of dew, because the continual
up-draught toward the higher slopes would withdraw almost the whole of
the vapour as it arose from the oceans, and other water-surfaces, and
thus leave the lower strata over the plains almost or quite dry. And if
this were the case there would be no vegetation, and therefore no animal
life, on the plains and lowlands, which would thus be all arid deserts
cut through by the great rivers formed by the meeting together of the
innumerable torrents from the mountains.