46 NATURAL HISTORT 



they have two wet and two dry feafons every year. We thought 

 it difficult to reconcile this with the account given of the fea- 

 fons of other countries in fimilar climates, and with what ac- 

 tually takes place in the Carib iflands. I will give you my 

 ideas on the fubje<5l. It is within the tropics a very general 

 rule, that the vicinity of the fun brings the rainy feafon. To 

 the northward of the line therefore this muft be in our fummer 

 months. It is another invariable law, that as in lunar influences, 

 fo in the change of feafons produced by the fun, fome time is 

 neceffary after the maximum of the 'caufe to produce the full 

 efFecl. The highefl tides are not till two or three days after 

 the full and change. The greateft heat of the day is two hours 

 after noon, and the hottefl months in Europe are July and Au- 

 guft, not June, when the fun is^higheft. Among the Weft 

 India iflands, the full effecl of the fun's vicinity is ftill later. 

 I have found Augufl:, and more efpecially September, to be the 

 hottefl months in the year, and they are accordingly the height 

 of the rainy feafon. It begins thus : No fooner has the fun 

 come to the northward, and begun to be vertical among the 

 iflands in April and May, than his force is felt, the flcy is more 

 difturbed, the wind is more frequently from the fouthward and 

 in fqualls, and now anei then there are heavy fltiowers. In 

 June the fame eflFedts continue, and increafe in July, when the 

 proper rainy feafon rnay be faid to begin, and continues in 

 force more or lefs till the middle of Odlober. Auguft and Sep- 

 tember, with part of July and October, when thefe efl^ecfts are 

 at their greateft height, are flyled the hurricane months, and 

 by the French Vhivernage. During them, the full force of the 

 great luminary which diflributes light and life, however necef- 

 fary, feems fometimes too much for nature. She is oppreffed 

 and fickens ; her refpiration is difordered by intenfe heat ; fome- 

 times calms, fometimes heavy fqualls ; the agitated elements vent 

 tliemfelves in lightning, with thunder and torrents of rain, or 

 are fometimes thrown out into thofe horrid convulflons, hurri- 

 i -j-i i J canes, 



