CLIMATE. 359 



Christoval ; but althougjli the hio;lier re2;ions of this island must 

 cause the rain-clouds to precipitate a large amount of their moisture, 

 the higher peaks do not rise in sufficient mass to a height that 

 would receive the greatest rainfall, the extreme height being 4,100 

 feet. The rain-clouds, with the bulk of their moisture, would there- 

 fore be driven over the hiirher regions of this island, and would de- 

 posit the greater part of their burden on the higher slopes of the 

 mountainous eastern poi-tion of Guadalcanal Since this island, in 

 its eastern portion, rises in mass to a height of some 5,000 feet and 

 attains a maximum elevation of 8,000 feet, it does not seem pro- 

 bable that, during the prevalence of the trade for nearly two-tbirds 

 of the year, a considerable quantity of rain would be deposited on 

 the western side of the island ; and, that such is the case, is shown 

 in the fact that the dense forest-growth that clothes the steep 

 ■eastern and southern slopes of the island gives place, on the lee or 

 west side of the mountains, to a vegetation which gives to the 

 western portion of Guadalcanar, when viewed from seaward, the 

 -appearance of a savannah or a prairie. 



The lofty mountain-masses of the east end of Guadalcanar, which 

 forms one of the finest specimens of coast-scenery in the world, 

 are usually enveloped in rain-clouds at their summits. But occa- 

 sionally one of the peaks is visible above the thick cloud-covering, 

 marking by its elevation, as it were, the line of greatest rainfall 

 lying below. In the Same manner the high peaks at the east end 

 of Bouo-ainville, which have an elevation of between 7,000 and 8,000 

 feet, may be seen occasionally to project above the rain-clouds ; but 

 there is, probably, a smaller quantity of rain deposited on the higlier 

 slopes of this island than on those of Guadalcanar, because the 

 mountains are more isolated, possess for the most part the tapering 

 volcanic profile, and do not rise " en masse," as in the case of the 

 hish lands of Guadalcanar. The greatest rainfall in the Solomon 

 Grou]i takes place on the steep southern and eastern slopes of this 

 island of Guadalcanar. Huge mountain-masses appear to rise 

 directly from the sea to a height of some 5,000 feet, ultimately 

 attaining a height of 8,000 feet. The fall there must be tremend- 

 ous, especially when, as is frequently the case, the land of St. 

 Christoval does not interpose itself in the path of the moisture- 

 laden trade-wind. Then, loaded with vapours after its passage 

 across a wide expanse of ocean, and with but a thin tract of inter- 

 vening lowland to rob it of its moisture, the trade strikes at once 



