Meteorology of Whitehaven. 21 



than one-third ; while, in Cumberland, the surplus varies from one- 

 third, at Keswick and Bassenthwaite, to one-tenth of the mean an- 

 nual quantity, at Langdale and Seathwaite. At Stonethwaite, 

 within two miles of Seathwaite, the excess is fully one-fifth ; and at 

 Buttermere and Gatesgarth, about an equal distance apart in the 

 same line of valley, it is one-fourth and one-sixth of the mean annual 

 fall in the preceding eight years. 



In January and February, the fall at Seathwaite was 47*70 inches, 

 and in November and December, it amounted to 50*30 inches, so 

 that, of 156*74 inches of water precipitated at the head of Borrow- 

 dale in 1852, exactly 98 inches descended in four months ; — whilst 

 58*74 inches were distributed over the remaining eight months of 

 the year. The largest quantity of rain measured in 24 hours was 

 5*74 inches, at Stonethwaite in Borrowdale, which fell between the 

 mornings of the 11th and 12th of December; — the depth on the 

 11th and 12th (for 48 consecutive hours) was 9*11 inches. 



The dry weather set in on the 18th of February, and continued 

 till the morning of the 28th of April — exactly ten weeks. During 

 this period, there were a few slight showers, amounting, at White- 

 haven, to 0*318 inch, and, at Seathwaite, to 0*98 inch, quantities 

 not unfrequently yielded by a smart shower of an hour's duration. 

 From all I can learn, this appears to have been the most protracted 

 drought which has occurred in the present century, though, from its 

 commencing very early in the year, its effects on vegetation were 

 not nearly so injurious as those consequent on the memorable drought 

 which prevailed in the summer of 1826. 



During the 20 years (1833-1852) over which my registers extend, 

 there have been four remarkably dry periods, but none to compare 

 with the present in point of duration. The first was in 1836, when 

 no rain fell in the 34 days between the 30th of April and the 3d of 

 June. The spring of 1840 was fine and dry. I have no record for 

 that year, but, at Carlisle, the fall in March and April only amounted 

 to 0*631, or little more than half an inch. In 1844, a drought set 

 in on the 23d of April, and continued till the 4th of June — 41 

 days, during which 0*262, or about a quarter of an inch of rain fell. 

 And, there was a further absence of rain between the 25th of June 

 and the 10th of July, in the same year. 



My friend, Robert Jopson, Esq., Woodhouse, Buttermere, on the 

 day preceding that which terminated the drought of 1826, caused a 

 post to be firmly driven into the bed of Crummock Lake, on which 

 a well defined notch was cut, as a permanent record of the depth of 

 water in the Lake, at a time when it was lower than had ever been 

 witnessed by the oldest residents in the district. On the 4th of 

 June, 1844, the water was 5 J inches above the notch or mark. On 

 the 19th of April, 1852, it was just three inches above zero, and on 

 the 7th of May (when 7-10ths of an inch of rain had fallen) Mr 

 Jopson writes, " the mark was examined this evening, when the Lake 



