ALLISOX OX THE PE0GRES3 OF WEATHER KNOWLEDGE. 315 



affinities of the American races with those of the Eastern hemis- 

 phere, which are relied on to establi&h the unity of mankind, are 

 evidently of a much earlier period, and can be predicated with 

 greater certainty, than those which are adduced to show a derivation 

 of the former from the ancient civilizations with which history 

 makes us acquainted. 



We must await with patience the complete solution of the 

 problem. Through the researches of learned men the early history 

 of mankind is becoming better known than heretofore. The ob- 

 scurities of mythology and tradition are being permeated by the 

 light of science and the evidence of facts. In our ov/n day, we 

 know more perhaps of primitive and prehistoric man, and can 

 speculate with more probability upon the operations of his mind, 

 than the ancients themselves. To use the language of one of the 

 followers of the celebrated African traveller. Dr. Livingstone, who 

 had just got a glimpse of the wonders of civilization — ' ' We are the 

 ancients, and all that has gone before us is but as of yesterday." 



Art. X. — O:^ the Progress of Weather Knowledge. 

 By Frederick Allison, Esq. 



{Bead May 12, 1873.) 



In 1848 — now a quarter of a century ago — I began taking some 

 observations of Temperature in this Province in a ver}^ rude man- 

 ner, with an ordinary thermometer fastened to the side of a large 

 building. I thus detail my own beginning, as it happens to coin- 

 cide with that of many others ; and the experience of a large 

 number of present regular observers is similar. 



In Nova Scotia, and even in all parts of the Continent of 

 America, observations of climatic phenomena were then in their 

 infancy. The Smithsonian had initiated a good work at Washing- 

 ton, but the best position of instruments, their construction, and 

 hours of observing, were known to comparatively few. The 

 British Government had established the Toronto Magnetic Obser- 

 vatory, where meteorological phenomena were also observed, and 



