RAINFALL ON ST. HELENA. l'?3 



Citron, Quince, Filbert, Grape, Pomegranate, Cocoa Nut, Date, 

 Water Lemon (purple), Rose Apple, Pine Apple, English and Spanish 

 Mulberry, Loquat, Banana, Apricot, Guava, Litchi, Melon, Cherry, 

 Indian Walnut, Chesuut, Fig, Papau Apple, Tamarind, Strawberry, 

 Wild Raspberry, English Raspberry, Blackberry, Cape Gooseberry 

 (Tomatita, vulgarly called Bilberry." 



Ships entering the harbour approach it on the eastern side of the 

 Island, to windward, and may sail with safety close on shore, the 

 water in the roadstead being deep, and there they may ride at anchor 

 at all times with perfect safety, there rarely being any wind so strong, 

 or sea so violent as to endanger their security. Opposite the 

 anchorage is the town of St. James. At the extreme end of the town 

 are a few pretty forest and vegetable gardens ; and at the termina- 

 tion of James' Valley is a waterfall, beneath which is a beautiful 

 spring whence comes all the water used for the supply of the town 

 and shipping. The water is clear and good. It is calculated that 

 seven thousand tons of water are daily discharged into the sea. The 

 number of springs in the Island are said to exceed two hundred. 



I accept with faith the statements made to me, in regard to the 

 changes remarked at St. Helena as following the destruction and 

 replenishing of trees, mainly because of their general accordance 

 with what has been observed elsewhere ; but also in a great measure 

 from confidence in popular observations in regard to facts even 

 when I cannot assent to popular expositions of these facts as to 

 cause and ejQFect. 



The following remarks are results obtained from observations 

 made by rain gauges kept at St Helena : — 



The total amount of Rain which fell at Longwood in the year 1848 

 was 45-630 inches, which appears to be rather more than the average 

 of eight years previous, which amounts only to 43 '8 inches. 



The month of October, during 1848, was the driest month of the 

 year, being only 0-126 of an inch. January is the nest driest mouth 

 0-720, and December 0-758 ; the two wettest tnonths being June 

 7-150 and July 9-245 inches. 



Upon comparing the Registers kept at Longwood and Plantation 

 for 1847, it appears that the fall of rain was greatest at Plantation, it 

 there being 45-892 inches, and at Longwood 42*364 inches; January 

 and December being the two driest months of the year, June and 

 September being the two wettest months, when the sum of the two 

 mouths are taken. At Plantation the two wettest months were 



