27^ A VOYAGE TO Book V, 



Oiort time the flreets appear like rivers, and the 

 fquares, though fituated on a flope, like lakes. This 

 dreadful fcene generally continues till near fun-fet, 

 when the weather clears up, and nature again put5 

 on the beautiful appearance of the morning, Some- 

 times indeed the rains continue all the night, and 

 they have been known to laft three or four day^ 

 fucceffively. 



On the other hand, this general courfe of the wea- 

 ther has its exceptions, three, four, or fix, or even 

 eight fine days fucceeding each other though, after 

 raining fix or eight days in the manner abovemen- 

 tioned, it is rare that any fails during the two or three 

 fucceeding. But, from the moft judicious obfervations, 

 it may be concluded, that thefe intervals of fine or 

 foul weather make up only one fifth of the days of 

 the year. 



The diftin6lion of winter and fummer confifts in 

 a very minute difference obfervable between the one 

 and the other. The interval between the month of 

 September, and April, May, or June, is here called 

 the winter feafon -/ and the other months compofe the 

 fum.m.er. In the former feafon the rain chiefly pre- 

 vails, and in the fecond the inhabitants frequently 

 enjoy intervals of fine w^eatherj but W'henever the 

 rains are difcontinued for above a fortnight, the in- 

 habitants are in the utmofl: conflernation, and public 

 prayers are offered up for their return. On the other 

 hand, when they continue any time without inter- 

 miff^cv^ the like fears return, and the churches are 

 again crowded with fupplicants for obtaining fine 

 weather. For a long drought here is produclive of 

 dangerous diflempers ; and a continual rain, without 

 zhy intervals of funfhine, deflroys the fruits of the 

 earth : thus the inhabitants are under a continual 

 anxiety, Befides the advantages of the rains for mo- 

 ^lerating the intenfe rays of the fun, they are alio of 

 the greateil benefit in cleanfing the fl:reets and fquares 



