338 Mr Macritchic''s Meteorological Tables, 



upon the banks of the Damoodah river, about thirty miles 

 north-east of Bancoorah ; the coal resembles our Scots coal very 

 much, and the freestone is durable, though coarse in its texture. 

 Bancoorah is a very suhry place during the hot season of the 

 year ; but from its being situated above the low swamps, and 

 in a great degree free from the noxious exhalations emitted from 

 their surface, it is generally accounted to be the healthiest station 

 in tliat part of India. It is elevated above the sea 215 feet, 

 and above the tide-mark 160 feet, and at a distance of about 

 105 miles in a straight line north-by-west from the nearest sea- 

 coast. 



As the temperature in the accompanying table was noted 

 from a thermometer placed against a wall in the room, it will 

 be requisite that I should say something regarding the con- 

 struction of the houses in India, so very different from those in 

 this„ country. The houses there are all built of brick, flat- 

 roofed, and thickly covered over and ornamented with finely 

 pulverized lime wrought into plaster, that admits of a high po- 

 lish if necessary. Every house has an open verandah or porti- 

 co, with as many door-ways to each room as may be consistent 

 with architectural proportion and stability, running along the 

 whole length and breadth of the house, from the verandah and 

 the outer- walls, to allow the external air, when refreshing, free 

 access to the remotest corner. These door-ways are occupied 

 by folding doors, with Venetian blinds in each half, which can 

 be opened or shut as required, and glazed windows are hung in 

 the same style immediately within these, so as to prevent the 

 hot wind from blowing in upon you without darkening the 

 room. In this manner the temperature of* the room, into which 

 the solar beams do not directly penetrate, is properly that of the 

 shade, for on the outside of the house it is difficult to find a 

 place free from the hot wind, and the direct or reflected rays 

 of a vertical sun, which subjects the thermometer to sudden 

 rises beyond the true temperature, as indicated in a room ex- 

 posed to the heat of both without the direct influence of either. 

 The external air, during the hot season, is insupportable with- 

 out cover to the European ; so that it is the house, under the 

 foregoing circumstances, that he is the most partial to, and con- 

 sents to be regulated by the temperature of his sitting apart- 



