THE BAROMETER. 



153 



the thermometer shows a remarkably limited 

 range of temperature and an extreme variation 

 of only 18° — 19°. A storm, however, will make 

 the mercury fall rapidly through 6°— 7°. The 

 climate is far more temperate than the in- 

 experienced expect to find so near the equator. 

 It is within the limits of the true Trades. 

 The land and sea breezes laden with cool mois- 

 ture blow regularly, and the excessive humidity 

 spreads a heat-absorbing steam-cloud between 

 sun and earth. The medium temperature 

 of January is 83° 30' ; of February, the hottest 

 month, 85° 86' (according to Colonel Sykes 83° 

 40'); and of March, 82° 50'. This high and little- 

 varying mean then gradually declines till July, 

 the coolest month (77° 10'). The mean average 

 of the year is 79° 15' — 90'. In September and 

 October the climate has been compared with 

 that of southern Europe. On the other hand, 

 the atmosphere supports an amount of moisture 

 unknown to the dampest parts of India. 



The barometer, so near the equator, is almost 

 uniformly sluggish and quiescent. Its range 

 diurnal and annual is here at a min. It seldom, 

 except under varying pressure of storms or tor- 

 nadoes, rises or falls above or below 30 inches 

 at sea level, and a few tenths represent the max. 



