58 CLIMATE. UMBRAGEOUS TKEES. [169I. 



and Food. He who dy'd just as we were about to leave it, 

 as I shall relate in the sequel of these Memoirs, was perfectly 

 born down by the violence of Fatigue. 



The Sky is always fair and serene, and the heats of the 

 Summer very Moderate ; because precisely at Eight a Clock- 

 in the Morning there rises every day a little North-East 

 or ISTorth-West Wind, which agreeably cools the Air, and 

 tempering the hottest Season, causes a perpetual Spring all 

 the year round, and a continual Autumn, no part of it 

 deserving the Name of Winter, insomuch that one may batli 

 one's self at any time. The Nights are cool and refreshing ; 

 it seldom Piains, at least we saw no'Eain, except for four or 

 five Weeks after the Hurricane ; that is, in January and 

 Fchruary} There fall great Dews, and frequently, which 

 serve instead of Sliow'rs. As for Thunder,^ which is so 

 formidable in our Europe, and in several other parts of the 

 World, I believe it was never heard in this Island. 



'Tis as I have hinted, compos'd of lovely Hills, cover'd all 

 with line Trees, wiiose perpetual Verdure is entirely Charm- 

 ing. These Trees are very rarely entangled {cU hroussalllcs) 

 one in another by the nearness and thickness of their 

 Branches. They naturally form Ally's to defend us from 

 the Sun's Heat ; and the Prospect is every where adorn'd by 

 the sight of the Sea, thro' the Boughs which are almost in 

 all Places open enough, to admit a View of the vast Ocean 

 between them. 



At the foot of these Hills are Valleys, the Soil of which 

 is the most excellent in the World, as we may easily con- 

 ceive, if we consider it consists chiefly of rotten Trees ; 

 whose Matter being reduc'd to dust, is driven by the Floods 



1 " Une heure apres que I'eau est tombee, on pent se promener 

 comme a rordiiiaire." Omitted by translator after word Fchruary. 

 The translator frequently makes such oniifes"ons. 



^ Thunder is rarely heard throughout the regions of the trade- 

 winds. 



