48 Mr. Lyall on the Weather in Madagascar. 



25.32 inches. We had neither rain, nor storms, nor even any 

 high winds. 



The weather, about the end of August, became consi- 

 derably warmer, and continued fine ; the evenings and the 

 mornings were beautiful and highly salubrious, being clear, dry, 

 and cool. Afterwards the thermometrical range became higher, 

 the temperature being generally between 60 and 70 Fahren- 

 heit : now and then, however, for a few hours after the middle 

 of the day, it rose as high as 75 and 80. Again, when the 

 heat had been less intense in the day, it descended in the 

 evening to 65 and 60 of Fahrenheit. The sympiesometer 

 and the barometer seemed nearly stationary during September 

 and October ; and the wind was regular, at least every even- 

 ing, and blew from the east and south-east. From about the 

 beginning to the 22nd of November we had, now and then, a 

 heavy shower, but no great quantity of rain fell ; so that the 

 Malagash government and people began to fear the loss of 

 their rice crops, in consequence of long-continued drought. 

 They had recourse to their idols, or god?, for assistance, as 

 recorded in my journal of this period. On the afternoon of 

 the 22nd, however, ' a day sooner than the gods predicted,' 

 rain fell very copiously, and continued to do so all night, and 

 even during a part of the 23rd. This date (though afterwards 

 we had some fine days) may be reckoned the commencement of 

 the rainy season in 1828. This remarkable epoch has therefore 

 been late ; but I have been told that it has occurred, though 

 very rarely, that the rainy season has not commenced till 

 January, which must always be a serious misfortune. It has 

 been remarked, that the periodical rain has not followed the 

 usual course of falling in heavy showers, some time between 

 the hours of two and six o'clock, P. M. On the contrary, it 

 has frequently commenced earlier, and, more frequently, at a 

 later hour ; indeed, it has sometimes rained the whole night, 

 and even in the morning and forenoon we have had heavy 

 showers. Again, after heavy rain-falls, there have been pe- 

 riods of one day, of two days, and even of three days, very 

 fine weather, and without a drop of rain ; but with such heavy 

 dews during the night, as, in the morning, led me to suppose 

 that it had rained. Thunder-showers, which have been fre- 



