324 Mr. Hinds on Climate in connexion 



ture does not permit them to suspend. These two modes of 

 precipitation will be best considered separately. 



1. Rain falls in proportions having such a relation with 

 the latitude that the circumstances of the latter considerably 

 affect it; but local causes have a great influence over the 

 amount. In countries situated in high latitudes and com- 

 posed of high lands, the amount of rain and rainy days is 

 great. In the mountainous districts of the north of our island 

 rainy days are very numerous, and in some parts of Norway 

 they are still more so. About Cape Horn, Staten Land, and 

 the islands of the surrounding seas, the number of rainy days 

 is very great, and it is rare to see a day on which some rain 

 does not fall. At Sitka or New Archangel, the prevalence of 

 rainy weather is such, that a Russian officer is induced to say 

 there is perhaps not a spot on the whole earth where so much 

 rain falls ; a dry day, he adds, is a perfect rarity. I have 

 been enabled to form an opinion of this delectable climate, 

 and during a visit the rainy days were to the fine as thirteen 

 to three, and this the residents regarded as unusually fine 

 weather. Mountainous countries generally are favourable to 

 th^ fall of rain, particularly in high latitudes ; and we are not 

 surprised at this, knowing that the progressive decrease of 

 temperature occurs more rapidly for given heights than in 

 lower ones. Our own island does not contain any very great 

 mountain ranges, but those we have influence the quantity of 

 rain ; at Kendal, where the surrounding land is elevated, ob- 

 servations through twenty years give the mean annual fall of 

 rain as 53*94 inches, and in London, for a period of forty 

 years, the annual rain was only 20*68 inches. 



In low latitudes also there are instances of almost constant 

 rains. On the coast of Africa, between 4° and 10° N. lat., there 

 is a range of surface which, from local causes, is subject to 

 variable winds and very frequent storms and showers, on 

 which account it has been called ' The Rains.' In a similar 

 latitude on the west coast of South America is the Bay of 

 Choco ; here for ten months of the year rain falls almost 

 daily, leaving vegetation a short repose of two months of dry 

 Aveather ; the flora of this region is unsurpassed for its dense- 

 ness and magnificence. 



A reversed condition of climate as to rain is equally preva- 

 lent ; in many places and districts a rainy day would be 

 looked on as a novelty and a blessing, whilst there are 

 others where the habits and customs of the people are so 

 directed by its absence, that a heavy shower would completely 

 disconcert them, and bring incalculable mischief. In some 

 parts of the Morld are extensive level surfaces removed from 



