SOUTH CAROLINA 173 



August, during which the Fahrenh. thermometer com- 

 monly stands anywhere from 70 to 90 , and not sel- 

 dom rises to 96 and more. The summer-heat, in itself, 

 is more overpowering on account of the calms usual 

 at that season and the little circulation of the air. To 

 be sure, few summer-days pass without violent thun- 

 der-storms to set the air in motion and for a short 

 time cooling it, but the pleasant effect is soon gone and 

 the oppressive, sweltry heat again has the upper 

 hand. At Augustine and along the whole of the east 

 coast of Florida there is vastly less cause to complain 

 of this still, heavy heat, although that region lies 

 nearer the sun. But the nature of that countrv, which 

 is low and extends in the form of a tongue of earth 

 into the West Indian waters, brings about a freer and 

 more refreshing passage of air from sea to sea, which 

 cannot be the case in the situation of Carolina. Besides, 

 there must be taken into the account the immeasurable 

 forests which cover the interior of the country, the up- 

 ward rise of the land from the coast inwards, and the 

 absence of large streams penetrating into the interior, 

 all which circumstances are unfavorable to movements 

 of the atmosphere. 



Pleasant regions or diverting changes of prospect 

 are not to be found about Charleston ; + the whole land- 

 scape is flat and sandy ; tracts next the sea and the 

 rivers are swampy. The greater part of the fore- 

 country is taken up in pine-forest. Of these pines the 

 following four varieties are the commonest. 



1. The Pitch-pine.* It has 3 needles in each 

 sheath, always assembled tuft-wise at the extreme end 



* Pinus palustris. Mill. Duroi, P't II, 49, No. 8. v. Wan- 

 genheim, Beytr'dge, 73. 



