88 



that half the year is drowned with inceflant 

 rain, and the other half parched with conftant 

 drought. Such a conftrudion of the terms wet 

 feafon, and dry feafon, though not unfrequent, 

 is far from correct, and leads to a very inaccu- 

 rate idea of the climate ; for, although it has 

 been the dry feafon, during the whole time we 

 have been at Barbadoes, we have fcarcely had 

 two fucceffive days without refrefhing rain ; 

 although the mowers are not fo heavy at 

 this period as at that of their greater frequen- 

 cy, termed the wet feafon, when the torrent 

 which falls might often convey the idea of a 

 fudden rupture of the clouds, letting forth 

 their waters in Jlreams to the earth. 



The quick evaporation which fucceeds 

 to rain in thefe climates creates a moft agree- 

 able and refreming coolnefs. The extreme 

 ardor of the fun's rays is alfo counteraded by 

 the ever- grateful breeze, which fets in from the 

 fea about eight or nine o'clock in the morning, 

 and continues throughout the day, ceafmgonly 

 as the fun forfakes us at evening ; when we 

 are again defended from oppreffive languor by 

 a breeze fpringing up from the land. This 

 fets in as the fea-breeze fubfides, , and di- 



