258 JOHN BARLING. 
quantity but once since records have been kept there. 
Somewhat similar, is the annual rainfall in parts of 
Mauritius, at Gros Caillou, viz:—30 inches. At Cluny, 
only 16 miles distant, we have 146 inches. 
Going inland from Sydney along the railway, Bathurst 
shews a low rainfall, whereas on either side of that city, 
at Katoomba and Orange, the rainfall is high. The rail- 
way section shewn in the margin, probably explains this 
curious fact. Bathurst is at the bottom of a deep basin, 
whilst Katoomba and Orange are on its rim. Apparently 
showers do not follow the contour of a country. 
So far, it seems that our records extend over too short a 
time to determine if there be any rainfall cycle in operation 
or not. I look forward with confidence to a time when 
something definite in this respect will be observed. Such 
a consummation will be invaluable. It would appear that 
in very ancient times in Assyria, the early cultivators of 
the soil believed in the certainty of forecasting the weather 
and in the periodicity of similar seasons. What their 
system was, and what results were obtained, history does 
not disclose, ‘‘and there is no new thing under the sun.’’ 
Our meteorologists now can give forecasts for a day or two 
in advance, but this is of little use to the man on the land 
—a whole year’s forecast is what he requires to know, to 
do him much good, and I confidently look forward to the 
time when the meteorological department will supply this 
information. Judging by the rainfall as shewn, there seems 
to be an immense extent of country in west and north- 
west Queensland, in the Northern Territory and in the 
northern part of West Australia which willin time to come 
carry a large population—a white one it is to be hoped. 
On the second chart (4 sheets’) I have shewn on the main 
part of it, the daily rainfall for Sydney since 1857, and up 
+ Not reproduced. 
