^64 TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



tinued without intermission for three days. From 

 this time it rained more or less every night or 

 afternoon, and, lastly, in November the wet season 

 regularly set in. In this part of South America it 

 is generally calculated to last from October to 

 March ; and the earlier or later commencement 

 of it in the several places partly depends upon their 

 latitude, and their natural position, whether nearer 

 to or more remote from the coast, more or less 

 elevated above the sea. At Rio itself j in 22° 54' 10" 

 south latitude, 45° 5' west longitude of Paris (eastern 

 variation 4° 55'\ it rains the most in February. 

 During our stay the changes in the atmosphere 

 were not inconsiderable ; in the months of Sep- 

 tember, October, and November, the barometer, 

 when at the highest, was 28.2, 28.30, and 28.20 ; 

 at the lowest 27.76, 27.85, 27.77 * mean height 

 27.995, 28.031, and 28.034: the thermometer 

 in the two first months was at its highest points 

 22°, in the third 23.49° R. ; at its lowest 15.49°, 

 16", 18° ; its mean height was 19.198°, 18.394°, 

 and 20.49° : the hygrometer gradually rose from 

 49° to 76° and 85°, as the rainy season advanced. 

 We did not think it advisable, considering the 

 shortness of the time allowed us for our travels, to 

 wait at Rio till this season was past j and though a 

 journey during the wet months must be doubly 

 fatiguing, we however determined to set out for 

 the interior as soon as possible, as we considered 

 that it was preciselv with the commencement of 



