CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 23 



nearly in the middle of the northern equinoctial zone, and 

 separated only by a distance of 120 leagues from the 

 broadest part of Africa, in their climate and vegetation 

 approach nearer to the temperate regions than to the tro- 

 pical. In the opposite countries of Senegambia, the rains 

 and the hottest season arrive together, and continue during 

 the months of May, June, and July. In the Cape Verde 

 islands, on the contrary, the rains do not set in until the 

 middle of August, (when they are about to cease in Sene- 

 gambia,) and continue with intermissions until January or 

 February. On our arrival at Porto Praya, the dry season 

 had therefore commenced two months ; some of the in- 

 digenous trees and shrubs had just lost their leaves, and a 

 few had put forth new ones ; all the perrnnial plants were 

 in seed, and all the annual nearly dried up, the vegetation 

 being in the same state as in June and July in the Canary 

 islands. 



" Even in the dry season the atmosphere of the Cape 

 Verdes is extremely humid, for the air being heated over 

 the broadest part of Africa, a great capacity for imbibing 

 moisture is thereby acquired, and in passing over the sea it 

 is saturated to the highest point, so that the least diminution 

 of temperature causes it to deposit abundant vapour Not 

 only the highest point of St. Jago, (Pico de San Antonio,) 



