214 



METEOROLOGY. 



table matter, of which I spoke in my last letter, got to be dry enou^^h 

 to take fire. ° 



The dry season of the present year we recognize only in the months 

 of March and April and a part of January. From inquiry, I learn 

 that well defined dry seasons have also been rather rare previous to 

 my stay in the colony. 



Table No. 4 gives the course of the clouds for seven months. The 

 most numerous direction is as usual from south and east and the points 

 intermediate amounting to 293. As a striking feature may be noticed 

 the increase m the number of currents from the south since January, 

 when there are only six, while in April we find 37 and in May 31. 

 This may well account for the fact, which captains of vessels trading 

 between the United States and the coast of Venezuela have noticed so 

 frequently, of meeting during the months of April and May with 

 steady blowing southern breezes, and which I had an opportunity to 

 notice myself on my last voyage to Laguayra. In some places east of 

 the colony, on the back of the Cordilleras of the coast, I have experienced 

 this steady current from the south as often as I had occasion to 

 traverse this region on my way to Caracas, with the exception of only 

 once. It amounts sometimes to a strong breeze. Other colonists, 

 who frequent this road more than I do, have noticed this remarkable 

 wind nearly at all times of the year. 



e ^ 



sea 



^mx^'-NW ^^^\ Av'^ A\ \ 



N 



S 



Several times I had a most excellent opportunity for observing and 

 tracing the course of this southern current to a great distance in the 

 direction south and north. I was then standing on the very crest of 

 the mountains of Hie coast, having a view towards the north upon the 

 sea, and towards the south over a part of the fertile valleys of Aragua. 

 Scattered masses of clouds showed plainly by their motion the direc- 

 tion of the current in a long line, whence it came and whither it went. 

 The annexed figure may serve to give a somewhat clearer idea. It is 

 to represent a vertical section of the territory from south to north, a 

 the place of observation, V the valleys between the northern and 

 southern ranges, c c clouds moving witli the eastern trade-winds 

 towards the west, the line b d the track of the high southern current, 

 which had a velocity of about twelve miles per hour, and a somewhat 

 sinking tendency, until it struck the northern range, where it was 

 forced upwards for a short distance until it reached the crest, and 

 then went on unobstructed on the other side of the mountains, in a 

 horizontal line, apparently lowering but very little, leaving hereby 

 the eastern trade-winds of the sea tar below and undisturbed in their 

 regular and steady course, which is nearly at right angles to that of 



