134 BRITISH HONDURAS. 



lias a preamble somewhat as follows : " Whereas, owing to the 

 salubriousness of the climate of British Honduras, there are few 

 inducements for medical men to settle therein, it is hereby 

 enacted," &c., &c. 



Quoting from the Honduras Almanack (1882). the character- 

 istic features of the climate of British Honduras during the 

 greater part of the year are a most equable temperature, with 

 strong easterly breezes in the summer months or dry season, 

 an absence of rain for three or four months from the end of 

 January, and in the winter months cold northerly winds, which 

 are generally dry and bracing, and land winds, fortunately not 

 continuous, which usually bring a good deal of moisture from 

 the neighbouring collections of water, and much rain. Exposed 

 to the full influence of the trade-winds, the whole coast may be 

 considered as unexceptionally healthy during their continuance, 

 while the temperature does not vary more than six or eight 

 degrees during the twenty- four hours. The atmosphere is dry : 

 indeed it would be difficult to point out any place in the West 

 Indies in which the humidity is so inconsiderable. The dew 

 which falls at night is almost imperceptible, and it is only 

 where the country is high and in close proximity to hills, that 

 the dews may be considered noticeable. During the rainy 

 season, the commencement of which is variable, there are some- 

 times short periods of calm, in which, although the temperature 

 is not appreciably heightened, the feeling of heat is great, but 

 fortunately these calms are of rare occurrence and short duration. 

 The rainfall is variable, but from observations extending over a 

 period of eighteen years, th'e general average for a year is found 

 to be between 75 and 80 inches. 



Europeans form but a small part of the population of British 

 Honduras, but sickness of every kind prevails to a much smaller 

 extent among them than in the black population. The principal 



