NATURAL 
the storm the fields were parched 
up, and except in the beds of the 
rivers, scarce a blade of vegeta- 
. tion was to be seen: the clearness 
of the sky was not interrupted by 
a single cloud, but the atmosphere 
was loaded with dust, which was 
sufficient to render distant objects 
dim, as ina mist, and to make 
the sun appear dull and discolour- 
ed, till he attained a considerable 
elevation: a parching wind blew 
like a blast from a furnace, and 
heated wood, iron, and every 
other solid material, even in the 
shade; and immediately before 
the monsoon, this wind had been 
succeeded by still more sultry 
calms. But when the first vio- 
lence of the storm is over, the 
whole earth is covered with a 
sudden but luxuriant verdure: 
the rivers are full and tranquil ; 
the air is pure and delicious ; and 
the sky is varied and embellished 
with clouds. The effect of the 
change is visible on all the animal 
creation, and can only be imagin- 
ed in Europe by supposing the 
depth of a dreary winter to start 
at once into all the freshness and 
brilliancy of Spring. From this 
time the rain falls at intervals for 
about a month, when it comes on 
again with great violence, and in 
July the rains are at their height: 
during the third month, they ra- 
ther diminish, but are still heavy : 
and in September they gradually 
abate, and are often entirely sus- 
pended, till near the end of the 
month; when they depart amidst 
thunders and tempests as they 
came. 
Such is the monsoon in the 
greater part of India: It is not, 
however, without some diversity, 
the principal feature of which is 
HISTORY. 489 
the delay in its commencement, 
and the diminution in the quantity 
of rain, as it recedes from the sea. 
In the countries which are the 
subject of the present inquiry, 
the monsoon is felt with much 
less violence than in India, and is 
exhausted at no great distance 
from the sea, so that no trace of 
it can be perceived at Candahar. 
A-remarkable exception to this 
rule is, however, to be observed 
in the north-east of Afghaunis- 
taun, which, although much fure 
ther from the sea than Candahar, 
is subject to the monsoon, and 
what is equally extraordinary, re- 
ceives it from the east. 
These anomalies may perhaps 
be accounted for by the following 
considerations. It is to be ob- 
served, that the clouds are formed 
by the vapours of the Indian 
ocean, and are driven over the 
land by a wind from the south- 
west. Most part of the tract in 
which the kingdom of Caubul 
lies, is to leeward of Africa and 
Arabia, and receives only the va- 
pours of the narrow seabetweenits 
southernshoresand thelatter coun- 
try, which are but of small extent, 
and are exhausted in the imme- 
diate neighbourhood of the coast. 
India lying further east, and be- 
yond the shelter of Africa, the 
monsoon spreads over it without 
any obstruction. It is naturally 
most severe near the sea from 
which it draws its supplies, and 
is exhausted after it has past over 
a great extent of land. For this 
reason, the rains are more or less 
plentiful in each country, accord- 
ing to its distance from the sea, 
except in those near high moun- 
tains, which arrest the clouds, 
and procure a larger supply of 
