46 NJrURAL HISTORT 



they have two wet and two dry feafons every year. We thought 

 it difficult to reconcile this with the account given of the fea- 

 fons of other countries in fimilar climates, and with what ac- 

 tually takes place in the Carib iflands. I will give you my 

 ideas on the fvibje<^. It is within the tropics a very general 

 rule, that the vicinity of the fun brings the rainy feafon. To 

 the northward of the line therefore this mufl be in our fummer 

 months. It is another invariable law, that as in lunar influences, 

 fo in the change of feafons produced by the fxxn, fome time is 

 neceffary after the'maximum of the 'caufe to produce the full 

 cfFecl. The higheft tides are not till two or three days after 

 the full and change. The greateft heat of the day is two hours 

 after noon, and the ho'cteil months in Europe are Jiily and Au- 

 guft, not June, when the fun is » higheft. Among the Weft 

 India iflands, the full efFecl of the fun's vicinity is ftill later. 

 I have found Auguft, and more efpecially September, to be the 

 hotteft months in the year, and they are accordingly the height 

 of the rainy feafon. It begins thvis ; No fooner has the fun 

 come to the northward, and begun to be vertical among the 

 iflands in April and May, than his force is felt, the flcy is more 

 difturbed, the wind is more frequently from the fouthward and 

 in fqualls, and now and then there are heavy ftiowers. In 

 June the fame eftecfls continue, and increafe in July, when the 

 proper rainy feafon niay be faid to begin, and continues in 

 force more or lefs till the middle of Odober. Auguft and Sep- 

 tember, with part of July and Odlober, when thefe effccfts are 

 at their greateft height, are ftyled the hurricane months, and 

 by the French Vhivernage. During them, the fidl force of the 

 great luminary which diftributes light and life, however necef- 

 fary, feems fometimes too much for nature. She is oppreflTed 

 and fickcns ; her refpiration is difordered by intenfe heat ; fome- 

 times calms, fometimes heavy fqualls ; the agitated elements vent 

 themfelves in lightning, with thunder and torrents of rain, or 

 are fometimes thrown out into thofe horrid convuLflons, hurri- 

 -(oiij canes, 



