42 KEPORT — 1869. 



Maritzburg. On the second occasion IGi inches on the coast, and lO'Sl inches at 

 ]\[avitKburir. 



Tlie ordinary rains of Natal are caused by the moist sea-air rushing sud- 

 di'iily inland to considerable elevation, and thence becoming rarefied and depo- 

 siting the moisture suddenly in the midst of violent electrical demonstrations, con- 

 stituting thunderstorms. The storms occur soon after 2 p.m., and rain continues 

 to fall into the late evening, but this fall is followed by a fine morning. The 

 storms occur three or four successive days, with a low barometer, and there is 

 then a similar rainless interval, with a higher barometer. The devastating coast- 

 fioods are, however, due to another class of rains, namely, rains accompanjdng 

 strong sea-gales from the south or south-west, and going in continuously for two or 

 three days at a stretch. They occm' often with a high barometer. During these 

 rains the rainfall is much heavier on the intermediate coast than it is further 

 inland. On the higher hiUs it diminishes into a thick mist, like that which is 

 often found on the Scotch mountains. In one marked rain of this character, in 

 which the author was caught between swollen coast rivers, the fall on the coast 

 was 8'97 inches, and at Maritzburg, 2095 feet high, l'2;j inch. 



Taken altogether, the coast rainfall is hea^^er than the rainfall at an elevation 

 of 2000 feet. The entire rainfall for the two years 1866 and 1867^ on the coast 

 and at Maritzburg, was — 



1866. 1867. 



inches. inches. 



The coast 48-54: 33-080 



Maritzburg, 2095 feet high, and 



45 miles inland 30-26 .31-40 



The mean average fall at Maritzburg, for the several months of the year, 

 deduced from a period of ten years, extending from 1858 to 1867, was — 



Januai-y 4-23 inches. 



February 5-20 „ 



March 4-08 „ 



April 2-33 „ 



May 0-51 of an inch. 



June 0-10 „ 



July 0-21 



Augiist 0-70 „ 



September 1*73 inch. 



October 2-59 inches. 



November 5-68 ,, 



December 4-48 ., 



The rainfall for each year of the period of ten years, at Maritzbui-g, was — 



1858 27-42 inches. 



1859 28-34 „ 



1860 30-60 „ 



1861 22-34 „ 



1863 29-96 „ 



1863 34-61 „ 



1864 37-31 „ 



1865 31-08 „ * 



1866 29-26 „ 



1867 31-29 „ 



The comparative rainfall for Maritzburg, 2090 feet high, and 45 miles inland, 

 and for the Coast district, near the sea-level, for the several }nonths of the two 

 years 1860 and 1807, was — 



Merebank, Maritz- 



near Durban. burg. 



1866. inches. inches. 



January 1-010 5965 



February 2-670 3-665 



March 20-190 4-448 



