Scientific Intelligence. — Metewology. 191 



brought from the unhealthy parts of Rome, and the Campagna 

 di Roma. 



3. Climate of the Southern Hemisphere. — A letter from an 

 officer of His Majesty's Ship, Chanticleer, says, " The cold of 

 southern regions is a complete fable, and at variance with truth 

 and nature. At Cape Horn, in latitude 5Q° deg. south, vege- 

 tation was in full vigour in May, or the November of their 

 year, and snow rarely lies upon the low grounds. In fact, we 

 have sufficient matter to elucidate the climate of the south, and 

 to establish its comparative mildness with the north, especially 

 if America be taken as the example. The summers of the south 

 are by no means warm or hot, nor the winters cold ; but to 

 compensate for this, it is the region of wind, storms, and rain ; 

 perpetual gales, and eternal rains : never twenty-four hours 

 without rain." Another account from the same quarter says, 

 Staten Land or Island is composed of steep mountains, 2000 

 feet high, covered to their summits with trees. The soil, 

 at the foot of the mountains, is singularly marshy. The mean 

 temperature of the island is constantly low, and varies but 

 little ; there is not more than a difference of four or five degrees 

 of Fahr. during the twenty-four hours. The summers are not 

 warm, the winters not cold ; but as a compensation it seems to 

 be the region of winds and tempests : not a day passes without 

 rain, and the gusts of wind are almost perpetual. The barome- 

 ter is almost always low ; the magnetic intensity is feeble ; elec- 

 trical phenomena are of rare occurrence ; and the winds are ge- 

 nerally westerly. 



4. Dr Gerard'.'} Travels in Thibet. — Dr Gerard,the brother of 

 Col. Gerard, who has traversed the Himalaya mountains, has just 

 visited the valley of Sutlej, and made some curious observations 

 at that place, which is the highest inhabited spot on the globe. 

 The principal object of his journey was the introduction of vac- 

 cination into Thibet ; but it appears that the prejudices of the 

 Rajah prevented him from succeeding in that humane enter- 

 prise. One of the villages where he stopped was proved to be 

 14,700 feet above the level of the sea. At this place, in the 

 month of October, the thermometer in the morning marked 



