i 



CH APTER XVI. 



Climate — -Health. 



In Jamaica, almost every variety of climate may be found 

 within a day's journey, except the extreme cold. The island 

 is situated between the parallels of 17° 55' and 18° 31' 

 north latitude, about three degrees farther south than 

 Havana, but it is traversed from east to west, through its 

 whole length, by a range of mountains, varying in height 

 from, four thousand to eight thousand feet, and by numer- 

 ous high ridges intersecting the other range from north to 

 south. These mountains on the island, with the ocean 

 surrounding it, prevent those extremes of heat to which 

 this latitude is exposed. I never found the weather op- 

 pressive, though I passed most of my time on the south 

 side and in the vicinity of Kingston, where the ther- 

 mometer ranges several degrees higher than upon the 

 north side or in the interior. 



In the morning, about half-past nine, a brisk breeze sets in 

 from the sea, which lasts during the day, is always pure 

 and soft, and leaves a person who is quiet and not exer- 



