BOOK III. CHAP. VII. 651 



Now as feven Inches are about one third of the fall in the lowlands 

 of England, we may venture to fubtraft one third from what may 

 generally be fuppofed to fall in Jamaica. Making a dedudtion then 

 of 21 inches for evaporation, there remain 42 inches, or 3 l feet for 

 the purpofes beforementioned ; nor will this be thought too much 

 in a country where vegetation is fo rapid and luxuriant, and which 

 abounds with fo great a multitude of rivers, rivulets, and fprings. 

 But we cannot allow much more for evaporation, confidering that the 

 earth here in moft parts abforbs the rain very greedily and copioufly, 

 and that in other parts the fliarp defcent of hills and mountains dif- 

 charges it into the. rivers almoft as fall as it falls. If the illand was 

 entirely clear of its woods, perhaps a much lefs quantity of rain 

 would fall than at prefentj but what is now fupplied is not difpro- 

 portiontd to the demand of its vaft forefts, which probably could 

 not vegetate with lefs; and, being attradlors, they are doubtlefs the 

 caufe of much more frequent fliowers than would otherwife happen: 

 for the fcale of nature is nicely poifed in this refpedt, and every part 

 of the machinery correfponds, according to a moft wonderful plan 

 of harmony and fitncfs. We cannot but remark the goodnefs and 

 wifdom of the Deity, in tluis admirably adjufting his diftributions. 

 If a quantity of rain equal to 87 cubic inches, or even b^,-, fliould 

 annually fall in England, that country would be deluged; the fruits 

 of the earth would perifh, and the farmer's toil be vain. The power 

 of the fun at that diftance from the equator would be too feeble to 

 exhale a fuflicient quantity of it. On the contrary, if fo fmall a por- 

 tion as 21 inches only fliould fall in the whole year at Jamaica or 

 Barbadoes, this would fcarcely be half enough for fuftaining or pro- 

 moting vegetation in thofe iilands. After balancing the daily ex- 

 halation caufed by the folar heat and conftant breezes, the ground 

 would be left parched, and every herb, plant, and root, would pro- 

 bably die, fountains and rivers be dried up, and the miferable in- 

 habitants be extinguiflied by thirft and famine. 



The like wife provifion and combination are likewife difcernible 

 in thofe fiiowers which are fo often leen defcending on the moun- 

 tainous parts of Jamaica, whilft the lowlands receive not a drop. 

 The fteep acclivities of many of their ridges, like the roof of a houfe, 

 throw off the water with a velocity not much inferior to that with 

 which it falls upon them ; hence the foil of fuch parts would foon 

 grow infertile, if it was not fo frequently moiftened with feafohahle 

 fprinklings. The lowlands, not permitting the rain that falls on them 

 to run off fo fpeedily, retain their huraedtation much longer ; the 



4 O 2 water 



