NARRATIVE OF AN 



former. This diitin6tion however appears to be more 

 imaginary than real, as far as refpeds the rainy feafons ; 

 for as thele downfalls of water only take place when the 

 fun is vertical, which it is near the line twice a year, and 

 for an equal portion of time, the continuance of the rains 

 will probably be equal in both feafons. 



The difference between the dry feafons indeed may be 

 accounted for from the greater commencing in Surinam 

 at the time when the fun is about to crofs the equator in 

 its courfe to the tropic of Capricorn^ often in Odlober, 

 when a continual drought and fcorching heat begin to 

 take place, till its return in March. This is fucceeded by- 

 violent uninterrupted rains till June, during which time 

 the fun has travelled to the tropic of Cancer^ and a fhort 

 feafon of parching heat again takes place, till about July, 

 which is once more followed by inceffant rains till 061:o- 

 ber, and thus the revolution of the different feafons is 

 completed 



Tht continuance of the rains during the time when 

 the fun is vertical in this climate, is necelTary to the 

 exiftence of animal and vegetable life, which without 

 thefe feafonable refrefhments mufl languifh and expire 

 under the fervid influence of its rays. But though I 

 have mentioned flated periods for the variations of the 



* I cannot but notice in this place a fun is vertical at the tropic of Ca^- 



ftrange error, into which Mr. Guthrie pricorn ; and defcribing it as continuing 



has inadvertently fallen, in dating the till the fun is again vertical at Cancer, or 



commencement of the dry feafon at the from the beginning of January to the 



north tropic, from the time when the latter end of May. 



9 



feafons 



