CLOTHING IN HOT SUNS. 257 



instance in the desert zone, or in the warmer, or even the 

 colder temperate regions. 



It is also remarkable that upon these rare occasions 

 the sun is often apparently not shining" with its full 

 lustre, but the day is dull, and even sometimes over- 

 cast with haze or mist. At such times, contrary to 

 expectations, the heat has seldom the same penetrat- 

 ing or dangerous power, possessed by the sun on an 

 ordinary tropical day; true, in places like New York 

 or London the passage of a great heat wave is fre- 

 quently followed by alarming results, but we are 

 nevertheless disposed to think that most of the fatal- 

 ities are due on such occasions to the sufferer's own 

 imprudence ; and that an investigation would show that 

 the individual (unless previously in a bad state of 

 health) has undergone exposure on an empty stomach, 

 or has recently indulged in excessive use of intoxicat- 

 ing liquors. These should never be partaken of during 

 great heats while the sun is above the horizon. 



In the tropics, however, the power of the sun's rays 

 must be regarded as a perpetual and ever-present source 

 of danger, against which the European requires to be 

 constantly on his guard, and against which there is no 

 such thing as acclimatization. We shall therefore merely 

 remark that a very common cause of accidents in 

 the tropical zone is the practice of using clothing and 

 tents of insufficient thickness, because of their superior 

 lightness ; many a man has been severely burnt while 

 sitting beneath the shelter of a single-canvas awning or 

 tent ; we take occasion to refer to it here, with a view 

 to impress upon the reader the folly and the danger 

 of living in these countries insufficiently provided in 

 this way, under the mistaken notion of obtaining a 



VOL. I. 17 



