278 A VOYAGE TO BookV. 



short time the streets appear like rivers, and the 

 squares, though siLuaLedon a slope, like kikes. This 

 dreadful scene generally continues till near sun-set, 

 when the weather clears up, and nature again puts 

 on the beautiful appearance of the morning. Some- 

 times, indeed, the rains continue all the night, and 

 they have been known to last three or four days 

 successively. 



On the other hand, this general course of the wea- 

 ther has its exceptions, three, four, or six, or even 

 eight fine days succeeding each other ; though, after 

 raining six or eight days in the manner above men- 

 > tioned, it is rare that any falls during the two or three 

 suci eeciing. But, from chemost judicious observations, 

 it may be concluded, chat the.-e intervals of fine or 

 foul weather make up only one fifth of the days of the 

 year. 



The distinction of winter and summer consists in 

 a very minute difference observable between the one 

 and the other. The interval between the month of 

 September, and April, May, or June, is here called 

 the winter season ; and the other months compose the 

 summer. In the form.er season the rain chiefly pre- 

 vails, and in the second the inhabiíants frequently 

 enjoy intervals of fine weather; but whenever the 

 rains are discontinued for above a fortnight, the in- 

 habitants are in the utmost consternadon, and public 

 prayers are offered up for their return. On the other 

 hand, vvhen they continue any time without inter- 

 mission, the like fears return, and the churches are 

 again crowded with supplicants for obtaining fine 

 weather. For a long drought here is productive of 

 dangerous distempers ; and a continual rain, without: 

 any mtervals of sunshine, destroys the fruits of the 

 earth: thus the inhabitants are under a continual 

 anxiety. Besides the advantages oi*the rains for mo- 

 deraung the intense rays of the sun, they are also of 

 the greatest benefit in cleansing the streets and squares 



of 



