RAINY SEASON IN KARAGUE. 
149 
only privilege was to look at them when not veiled in 
mists, at sunset. 
The capital of Karague is 1° 40' south of the 
equator, within a complete belt of vapour the whole 
year round. Fruitful showers seemed to fall con- 
tinually. There are no very marked seasons, as win- 
ter and summer. On the same day, sowing, gather- 
ing, and reaping may be seen, and from November 
till April the fall of rain increases or diminishes ac- 
cording as the sun becomes more or less vertical to our 
position. The natives had their reasons for knowing 
this also; for when asked, on the 2d December 1861 
(when we were having abundant showers), " How long 
is this to last ? — when does your rainy season com- 
mence ? " — they at once said, " With the new moon/' 
which corresponded with the time for the sun to re- 
turn towards its more vertical position. Again, when 
asking them, " When have you your heaviest rains ? " 
the reply was, "At the time the Mohammedans call 
Kamezan," which is equivalent to our equinoctial 
period in March, when the sun crosses our zenith. A 
note about this time is as follows : — " 1 7th March 
1862. The weather looks black, peals of thunder with 
lightning; 1.65 inches of rain fell straight and thick, 
with occasional hail, in one hour." The fall increased 
in quantity from this day till it reached its climax 
about the 10th of April, when it began again to 
decline. In December till January 7, the usual 
maximum temperature in a grass hut open to the 
south was observed to be 81°, and the minimum 
56°, at an elevation of 5000 feet above the level of 
the sea. We had a great number of dull English 
