404 EFFECT OF THE RAINS. CHAP. XY. 



out to the light fresh green which succeeds it, here, on the 

 borders of 16° S., or from 150 to 180 miles distant, the 

 trees were still bare, the grey colour of the bark predomi- 

 nating over every other hue. The trees in the tropics 

 here have a very well-marked annual rest. On the 

 Eovuma even, which is only about ten degrees from the 

 equator, in September the slopes up from the river some 

 sixty miles inland were of a light ashy-grey colour ; and 

 on ascending them, we found that the majority of the 

 trees were without leaves ; those of the bamboo even lay 

 crisp and crumpled on the ground. As the sun is usually 

 hot by day, even in the winter, this withering process may 

 be owing to the cool nights ; Africa differing so much 

 from Central India in the fact that, in Africa, however hot 

 the day may be, the air generally cools down sufficiently 

 by the early morning watches to render a covering or even 

 a blanket agreeable. 



The first fortnight after our return to the ship was 

 employed in the delightful process of resting, to appreciate 

 which a man must have gone through great exertions. In 

 our case the muscles of the limbs were as hard as boards, 

 and not an ounce of fat existed on any part of the body. 

 We now had frequent showers ; but, these being only the 

 earlier rains, the result on the rise of the river was but 

 a few inches. The effect of these rains on the sur- 

 rounding scenery was beautiful in the extreme. All trace 

 of the dry season was soon obliterated, and hills and 

 mountains from base to summit were covered with a 

 mantle of living green. The sun passed us on his way 

 south without causing a flood, so all our hopes of a release 

 were centred on his return towards the Equator, when, 

 as a rule, the waters of inundation are made to flow. Up 

 to this time the rains descended simply to water the earth, 

 fill the pools, and make ready for the grand overflow for 

 which we had still to wait six weeks. It is of no use to 



