BENGAL PRESIDENCY 199 



the fury of the wind and quantity of the lightning are ex- 

 cessive The general time of their coming on is about 

 sunset ; thev rarely occur earlier than six in the afternoon, 

 or later than midnight. When the days keep clear and the 

 ^ind moderate, heavy dews fall at night; but in blowmg 

 weather there is no dew, the moisture, as it settles, bemg 

 carried off bv the wind. Range of thermometer, from 

 73° to 86° ; mean temperature, 79^ ; altitude ot barom- 



eter, 29.86. , , , ^ rr.i 



\pnl has generally blowing weather throughout. Ihe 

 pr;vailing wind is still the south. The ftmosphere is some- 

 times clear, generally hazy, with much dust, and th^^k loo»8 

 clouds conliSually moving to the north The breather is 

 hot, but pleasant, till towards the end of he month when 

 the niahts become close and sultry. The general close- 

 ness, however, is from time to time relieved by thunder- 

 storms and seasonable falls of rain. The wind usual) 

 becomes hot to the feel about the 20th, and so continues to 

 the end of the succeeding month. Range of the ttier- 

 rnometer, from 78= to 91= ; mean heat, 84= ; barometrical 



altitude, 29.75. , , 



Mav is the most disagreeable month m the year. In tne 

 commencement there is high wind at times ; but during the 

 greater part of the month the weather is exceedmgly close, 

 ftill, and oppressive. The nights especially are su try. 

 There is httle or no ^vind in the mommgs, which we thick 

 and hazy, with low, gloomy, scattered masses of clouds 

 But as the sun rises a breeze springs up from the south, and 

 keeps gradually freshening until the evemng, when u 

 again fades away. The air ,s hot but inelastic and 

 as it does not carry off the perspirations, leaves the body 

 moist and clammy. The dejectipn and lassitude now uni- 

 versally produced by the great heats a^^"' h°^7"' ^^^ ^■ 

 nately removed by the frequent occurrence of violent nortb- 

 westers, with their usual accompaniments of thunder and 

 rain. There are no fogs durmg April or May. The ther 

 mometer ranges from 81° to 93° ; mean heat, 86= ; baro- 

 metrical altitude, 29.60. „^„li„ hp- 

 In some vears, but not always, nor even generally, oe 

 tween the 15th and 25th of this month, the horizon becomes 

 overshadowed with dark, thick clouds from the south-east 

 quarter, and much rain falls dunng several days, consu- 



