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Some Account, Historical, Geographical 



[JULT 



quantity of rain generally falls in September and October: though, in 

 1838, more fell in July than in October. On account of its centrical in- 

 land position, Bellary is removed from the full force of either monsoon ; 

 this renders the periodical changes which occur with comparative re- 

 gularity in tropical regions, subject to vicissitude and uncertainty ; 

 therefore, what is here said regarding its climate, &c. must be taken 

 merely as approximative. The thermometer (Fahrt.) ranges during 

 the year from 48° to 98° in the shade. Less rain is supposed to fall 

 at Bellary than at any other place in Southern India. During the year 

 1838, only 11| inches of water fell ; but it must be recollected, that this 

 was an uncommonly dry season. Hail is rather uncommon : I have seen 

 it fall during the thunder storms in May, in globular concretions varying 

 in size from a swan shot to a musket ball. The quantity of moisture in 

 the atmosphere indicated by the hygrometer, during the months of De- 

 cember and January, is extremely minute, although the air is remarka- 

 ble for its transparency. Humidity increases the transparency, as may 

 be observed a few hours, or even a day before, or after a fall of rain. The 

 degree of electricity it contains, is evinced by the simple experiment of 

 passing a brush rapidly through the hair once or twice, after it has 

 been dried : this frequently produces a harsh crackling noise, the ex- 

 plosions of a shower of electric sparks plainly visible in a darkened 

 room. Mirages and halos at e of frequent occurrence. I have witness- 

 ed a curious species of the former phenomenon on dewy nights and 

 mornings, caused by the rays of the moon, when low in the zenith, fall- 

 ing at an acute angle on the horizontal plane of the bank of vapour. 

 This lunar mirage produces the illusive spectacle of a vast sheet of 

 water, tranquil and glittering as the surface of a polished mirror. Ob- 

 jects seen at a distance on the undulations of the extensive plains by 

 the rays of the morning sun, are often singularly magnified to more than 

 double their natural size : this deception vanishes as the sun advances 

 in the heavens. Meteors are most frequent from November to 

 March. On the 2d January 1831, a meteorolite fell in the Cudda- 

 pah district, a fragment of which is deposited in the Museum of 

 the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Few experiments have been made, or at 

 least their results not made public, on those interesting objects of 

 meteorological enquiry, viz. radiation, light, electricity and moisture; 

 but it is to be hoped that these branches of research in a climate so re- 

 markably influenced as thatof the Ceded Districts, will be more carefully 

 attended to. The mean temperature of Bellary, result of a year's ob- 

 servations, is SO 0 5" Fahrenheit, the temperature of a spring is a little 

 fcelow this. 



