200 CLIMATE. 



tuting what are called the lesser rains. But more com- 

 inonlv the close muggv weather continues, with little inter- 

 ruption, until the end of the first or the beginning of the 

 second week of June, when the veering round of the wnid 

 towards the east, the occurrence of thunder in the evennig, 

 and the constant cloudy state of the atmosphere mdicate the 

 approach of the regular rains. These commence from the 

 4th to the ISth of June, and continue, with frequent varia- 

 tions, during the four following months. At first they set 

 in with thunder-showers, sometimes heavy, sometimes 

 litrht, crenerallv from the south and east. Then follow 

 several days of very heavy rain, during which the sun is 

 completelvhid from view. Then there is a show of fair 

 weather, with sunshine and beautiful clear nights ; but this 

 is of very uncertain duration, and liable to be interrupted 

 with scarcely any previous warning. The heavy rain 

 rarely keeps up for more than forty-eight hours at a time ; 

 then gradually diminishing to drizzling, and at length givin^j 

 way to fair weather. There is at frequent intervals, during 

 the whole period of their continuance, much vivid light- 

 nin(T, with violent thunder-storms and gusts of wind. 1 he 

 wind frequently changes from east to south and west, rarely 

 to north. Its "return to the east, and fixing steadily in that 

 quarter, is usually accompanied with heavy rain. 



\s soon as the rainy season has fairly commenced the 

 atmosphere becomes manifestly cooler, and the weather m 

 general very pleasant ; the only exceptions being now and 

 then a sultry night, and the dead oppressive calm which some- 

 times precedes a storm. From the dust and other particles 

 floating about in the atmosphere being carried away by the 

 successive showers, the sky during the intervals becomes 

 beautifully clear, the sun shines with great splendour, and 

 the nights are bright. There is very little variation of the 

 atmospherical temperature throughout the season. The 

 thermometer ranges from 77° to 88° or 90° ; the mean 

 heat being 81°, or perhaps a degree or two higher. The 

 air, from The constant rain, becomes surcharged with mois- 

 ture, and every thing exposed to it gets damp and mouldy. 

 There is, consequently, little alternation in the barometer. 

 The mean altitude is about 29.45. 



There is little perceptible change in the weather till the 

 middle of October. The rain then begins to abate, the 



