654 



JAMAICA. 



The foregoing table having been founded upon the obfervatiuns of 

 different perfons, taken at different times, 1 am incapable of vouching 

 for the accuracy of them. But, fuppofing them tolerably faithful, 

 I think it will appear, that the Afiatic and African climates are, in 

 general, hotter than the American; and that, of the American cli- 

 mates, thole which lie under and near the Line are, in general, 

 very temperate. The different degrees of heat and cold in different 

 places, under the fame meridian, depend chiefly upon the accidents of 

 iituation, with regard to mountains, valleys, and ibil. Where 

 there are vaft high mountains, whofe fummits are all the year co- 

 vered with fuow, as thofe under the Line in the South-American 

 continent, the winds whicla come over them muif necellarily chill 

 the air of all the adjacent country. In other refpeds, and under 

 different meridians, the diverfity has been fuppofed to arife from the 

 different angles under which the fun's rays If rike upon the furface of 

 the earth, and the longer or fhorter continuance of their adion : and, 

 from this confidcration, Dr. Halley has grounded a very confiftent 

 theory; from wMience he deduces two pofitions, firlf, that tlie 

 Tropical fun, under the Equinodial, has, of all others, the lead 

 fo.ce; fecondly, that, under the Pole, it is greater than any other 

 heat whatfnever, being to that of the Equinoftial, as five to four. 



But this may appear clearer from one column of his table, which I 

 fix upon, as it includes the hottell part of the year felt in the Weft- 

 Indies, viz, June to September. 



Lat. 



