Chap. II.] 



RAIN. 



CLIMATE. 



67 



the same moment tlie opposite extremes of drought and 

 moisture.^ 



On the east coast, on the other hand, the fall, during 

 the north-east monsoon, is very similar in degree to 

 tliat on the coast of Coromandel, as the mountains are 

 lower and more remote from the sea, the clouds are 

 carried further inland, and it rains simultaneously on 

 both sides of the island, though much less on the west 

 than during the other monsoon. 



The climate of Galle, as already stated, resembles in 

 its general characteristics that of Colombo, but, being- 

 further to the south, and more equally exposed to the 

 influence of both the monsoons, the temperature is 

 not quite so high ; and, during the cold season, it falls 

 some degrees lower, especially in the evening and early 

 mornino-.^ 



Kandy^ from its position, shares in the climate of the 

 western coast ; but, from the frequency of the moun- 

 tain showers, and its situation, at an elevation of 

 upwards of sixteen hundred feet above the level of 

 the sea, it enjoys a much cooler temperature. It 

 differs from the low country in one particular, which 

 is very striking — the early period of the day at whicli 

 the maximum heat is attained. This at Colombo is 

 generally between two and three o'clock in the after- 

 noon, whereas at Kandy the thermometer shows the 



' Admiral Fitzroy has described_j 

 in his Narrative of the Voyaycs of the 

 Adcodure and Beaf/Ic, tlie sti-ikiug 

 degTce in which this sinmltaneous 

 dissiniihirity of climate is exhibited 

 on opposite sides of the Galapagos 

 Islands ; one aspect exposed to the 

 south being covered with verdure 

 and freshened with moisture, whilst 

 all others are bai-ren and parched. — 

 Vol. ii. p. 502-3. The same state of 

 things exists iu the east and west 

 sides of the I'eruvian Andes, and in 

 the mountains of Patagonia. jVnd 

 no more remarkable example of it 

 exists than iu the island of Socotra, 



east of the Straits of Bab el INIandelj, 

 the west coast of which, during the 

 north-east monsoon, is destitute of 

 rain and verdure, whilst the eastern 

 side is eni-iched by streams and co- 

 vered by luxuriant pasturage. — Junrii. 

 Asiat. Soc. licmj. vol. iv. p. 141. 



^ At Point-de-Galle, in 1854, the 

 number of rainy days was as follows : 



