Dr. Beke^s Summary of recent Nilotic Discovery. 267 



ary 1841, was informed there that '' the rainy season would not 

 commence for two months, that is to say, not till the end of 

 March or beginning of April*/^ 



Crossing the Line, we learn from the experience of Dr. Krapf 

 and Mr. Eebmann, that in the mountainous regions west of 

 Mombas, within four degrees south of the Equator, the rainy 

 season sets in towards the end of March or the beginning of 

 April t, — that is to say, at the same time precisely as it com- 

 mences within the like distance north of the Line ; and it con- 

 tinues till the end of June or the beginning of July J. And 

 seeing that the commencement of the rains is the same within 

 five degrees north as it is within five degrees south of the Line, 

 it may reasonably be inferred, in the absence of direct evidence 

 on the subject, that their duration is likewise in both cases the 

 same; whence it will result that throughout the equatorial 

 regions the regular rainy season lasts, as in Abessinia, about 

 three months, only it takes place there at a period nearly three 

 months in advance of the time of its occurrence in the latter 

 country. 



But, in addition to the regular rains, there is generally within 

 the tropics a second rainy season. In Abessinia the two are 

 distinguished by the names of " the rain of covenant " and " the 

 rain of bounty -," the former being fixed and constant in its com- 

 mencement and duration, while the latter is more uncertain and 

 irregular. The ordinary occurrence of " the rain of bounty '' in 

 the southern portion of that country is during the entire month 

 of February, or thereabouts. 



We have not any direct evidence as to the period of this 

 second rainy season within five degrees north of the Equator. 

 But within the same distance south, according to Dr. Krapf and 

 Mr. Rebmann §, it commences towards the end of November,—- 

 *' in the middle of the dry season 1|,^' — and continues through the 

 month of December; and, by analogy, the same is most pro- 

 bably the case to the north of the Line likewise. 



Taking all these circumstances into consideration, it would 

 seem to result that the increase of the Nile, observed by Dr. 

 Knoblecher on the 16th of January 1850 in 4P 9' N. lat., could 

 only have been caused by " the latter rain '' in the equatorial 

 regions of Eastern Africa, whether north or south of the Line. 

 And if, as it is reasonable to suppose, the commencement, amount, 



* Expedition zur Entdecliung der Quellen der Weissen Nil, pp. 326, 333. 

 t Church Missionary Intelhgencer, vol. i. pp. 21, 10/, 329, 377, &c. 

 X Ibid. pp. 329, 376, 379, &c. j Church Missionary Record, 1847, p. 3. 

 § Church Missionaiy Intelhgencer, vol. i. pp. 416, 417, 454, 469-471, 

 474, &c. - 



II Ibid. pp. 151, 273. .viC^i ,,^i>^ ,>..., ^..1,:,^- 



