Liberia '^ 



Sahara Desert, and although its intensely dry character is 

 materially diminished by passing over the well-watered valley of 

 the Upper Niger and the dense Liberian forests, it is neverthe- 

 less a dry wind, sometimes hot and sometimes cold, which parches 

 everything to an inconvenient extent. For something like nine 

 months of the year the tendency in the coast-lands of Liberia is 

 towards excessive humidity, with all its consequences of rust and 

 mould. During January and February the drying influence of 

 the Harmattan is so extreme that it is scarcely a remedy. 



The worst months of the year for storms are March 

 and April. Thunder-storms also occur in November, De- 

 cember, February, and May, but very seldom in the height 

 of the rainy season. In March and April they can be very 

 violent and dangerous. No one who has visited Equatorial 

 Africa needs to be reminded of the appalling storms which occur 

 there in certain months of the year — how following on stifling 

 heat and a fearful stillness comes the devastating tornado, 

 succeeded by thunder and lightning and a deluge of rain, during 

 which the lightning continues for an hour or so. In such 

 countries as Liberia all buildings which rise to any height 

 should be furnished with lightning conductors. 



It is doubtful whether Liberia is the rainiest country on 

 the West Coast of Africa ; the palm may have to be awarded 

 to Sierra Leone, where I believe in one year (1901) a downfall 

 of i75'4 inches was registered. It is only since 1904 that any 

 attempt has been made (by the employes of the Monrovian 

 Rubber Company) to register the rainfall continuously month after 

 month. Records even for the first twelve months of observa- 

 tion are unfortunately not quite complete at any one station ; 

 but taking ten months' observations of rainfall at Mount 

 Barclay coupled with a record of the missing two months 

 (September and October) at the not far distant station of 



5°o 



