42 A VOYAGE TO Book!. 



füch impel uoíify, that tlie fireels have the appearance 

 of rivers, and the country oí an oceau. The mhabit- 

 anis make ufc of this opportunity, otherwifc lb dread- 

 ful, for filling their cillcrns ; this luring the only fweet 

 water they can procure. Beiides the water faved for 

 private ufes, there are large refer vo i rs on thebafiions, 

 that the town may not be reduced to the fhocking con- 

 fequence of wanting water. There are indeed wells 

 in moil houfes ; but the water beins: thick and brack- 

 ifh, is not fit to drink, but fervcs for other ufes. 



From the middle of December to the end of April, 

 the rains ceafe, and the weather becomes agreeable, 

 the heat being fomething abated by the N. E. winds 

 which then let in. This fealbn they call fummer; 

 beiides which, there is another called the little llim- 

 mer of St. John, as, about the fefiival of that faint, 

 the rains are intermitted, and refreihing gales begin to 

 blow, and continue about a month. 



The invariable continuance of fuch great heats, 

 without any feniible difference between night and 

 .day, occalions luch profule perfpiration, that the wan 

 and livid complexion of the inhabitants would make 

 a flranger fufpe6l they were juil recovered from fome 

 terrible dittemper. Their actions are conformable to 

 their colour; in all their motions there is fomething 

 lax and íluggüTi ; it even aííetíls their fpeech, which 

 is loft and flow, and their words generally broken. 

 Bat notwithftanding all thefe appearances of licknels 

 and debility, they enjoy a good llate of health. 

 Strangers from Europe retain their firength and ruddy 

 colour poiiibly for three or four months; but after- 

 wards both iutfer fuch decays from the excefiive per- 

 Ipiration, that thefe new comers are no longer to be 

 diftinguifhed by their countenances from the old in- 

 habitants. Young perfons are generally moft affected 

 by the climate, which I'pares the more "aged, who pre- 

 lerve their vivid countenance, and fo confirmed a 

 fiate of health as even to reach their 8oth year and 



upwards; 



