DOUBLE SEASONS. 



159 



ature. As in the west coast squadron, so here, 

 there is an order that all men on deck after sun- 

 set must wear their blanket-coats and trowsers, 

 and many an unfortunate sailor has lost his life 

 by sleeping in the streets, thus allowing the dew 

 to condense upon his body while under the in- 

 fluence of liquor. Experienced travellers have 

 taught themselves, even in the hottest seasons of 

 the hottest equinoctial regions, to air the hut 

 with a 6 bit of fire ' before sundown and sunrise, 

 and it is doubtless an excellent precaution 

 against e chills.' 



Zanzibar Island, lying in S. lat. 6°, has the 

 sun in zenith twice a year : the epochs being 

 early March and October ; more exactly, March 

 4 and October 9. Hence it has two distinct 

 summers ; the first in February, the second in 

 September. It has double rains ; the £ Great 

 Masika ' in April to June, and the ' Little Ma- 

 sika ' in October to Xovember. It has two 

 winters ; the shorter in December, and in July 

 the longer, which is much more marked than the 

 former. There are only three months of N.E. 

 trade (Azyab) 1 to nine of S.E. and S.W. (Kausi). 



1 Azyab is the classical Arab term for Cseeias (Kaikias) the 

 N.E. wind — according to Firuzabadi it is the S.E. ; Sciron, the 

 N.W.,isthe Arab'Shursh'; Lips, the S.W., is 1 Labash'; and 

 Euros, the S.E., ' Sh'luk' (scirocco, which is in many places a 



