prevalent Disorders, fye., with Voleanic Emanations. 5 



yet, withal, accompanied by intense warmth, and electrical 

 rains, and meteoric phenomena. It may suffice to illustrate 

 this assertion with but few examples, since the recollection of 

 the past season is too fresh in our minds to require much 

 allusion ; yet the following may not be unacceptable, especially 

 as they will show that the new world, as well as the old, par- 

 ticipated in the general fever ; and that, through nearly three 

 fourths of the globe, the same phenomena have occurred. 

 Up to March, 1833, there was drought in New South Wales; 

 in April, at Buenos Ayres, Manilla, and the Cape of Good 

 Hope, where no rain had fallen since Aug. 1832.* (SeeM.N.FT., 

 vii. 389.) The crops failed, and the cattle died for want 

 of grass and water. In Jamaica, the drought was such, that 

 the cattle died for want of water, which was brought more 

 than five miles for the use of the negroes; only one third of 

 the usual crop was harvested. In New South Wales, the 

 drought was so destructive, that, when a little rain fell in 

 April, it was too late to be of service. In May, England, 

 Holland, Prussia, France, &c, were affected by drought. 

 (See M. N. H., vi. 307.) In July, the Scilly Isles were also 

 much distressed by the same cause; but, as is well known, 

 this part of Europe has been more or less visited by drought 

 till 1834. In South Russia f, such a drought continued in 

 August, that the ports were opened, by command of the 

 emperor, to permit importations of corn. In the Cape de 

 Verd Islands, 20,000 persons perished from starvation, occa- 

 sioned by drought. New Orleans was also visited by drought 

 in August. In September, the drought was so great at Ber- 

 bice, that only half a crop of coffee was gathered in. In 

 India, this visitation was most awful. In Madras, 70,000 

 suffered from scarcity, many of whom perished ; and the 

 upper provinces were desolated past description : the birds 

 dropped lifeless, cattle perished, and the plains of Allahabad 

 were strewed with bones, and with the bodies of the dead 



* See M. N. H., vi. 306. A singular testimony is offered to my rea- 

 soning, in the following extract from Mr. Howison's recent work on the 

 European Colonies, i. 211. He says, that when, in the spring of 1830, he 

 visited Beaufort (a spot chosen, in 1818, for its fertility and water), he 

 found the neighbourhood so dry and barren, that the cattle were dying 

 for want of food ; and the inhabitants assured him that they had enjoyed 

 no regular rains for six years; and pointed out the unmoiatened channel of 

 the Gamka river in corroboration of their statements. In the district of 

 Albany, an increasing drought has been long experienced; and many of 

 them anticipate a period when they will be obliged to abandon their farms 

 on that account. 



f No snow fell at Odessa in 1832-3. 



V 3 



