480 Mr. schotte’s Journal of the 
mangroves. The water of the river is frefli during the 
rains, but very thick and troubled, the current being fo 
rapid and ftrong as to flop the flood-tide ; but in the dry 
months the river water is fait, and no other water is to be 
had, but fuch as is procured by digging a pit into the fand 
more or lefs deep according to the height of the ground 
into which the water filtrates from all fides, and gathers 
up to the level of the river. This water is brackifh, but 
as no better is to be had thereabouts, the garrifon, as well 
as the inhabitants, make ufe of it, except when the river 
is frefli. 
The year is commonly divided by the Europeans as 
well as the inhabitants into two feafons ; viz. the rainy 
and dry ; by others called the fickly and healthy feafon. 
The rainy or fickly one generally begins about the mid- 
dle of July, and ends about the middle of October; 
during this time the wind is generally between the 
points of Eaft and Soxith, the quarter from which the 
tornados come. It has been obferved, that this feafon is 
more or lefs unwholefome in proportion to the greater 
or leffer quantity of rain that falls. A tornado is pre- 
ceded by a difagreeable clofenefs and weight in the air, 
(which feems to be much hotter than the thermometer 
fhows it to be) ; and it is known to come on by the rifing 
of the clouds to the South- eaft, which by joining grow 
darker, 
