XXV. Account of a Phenomenon obferyed upon the Ijlarid of 
' Sumatra. By William Marfden, Efq . ; communicated by Sir 
Jpfeph Banks, P. 
?.* 
Read* May 24, 1 $8 1 . ' 
• si R 
;\[ y,r» 
CaroHne-ftri e% 
Feb. 24, 1701, 
URING my refidence on the ifland of Sumatra in the 
Eaft Indies, I had occafion to obfcrve a phenomenon fin- 
gular, I believe, in its kind, an account of which may not per- 
haps be uninterefting to the curious. 
In the year 1775 the S.E. or dry monfoon, fet in about the 
middle of June, and continued with very little intermiflion till 
the month of .March in the following year. So long and 
fevere a drought had not been experienced then in the memory 
the oldeft man. The verdure of the ground was burnt up, the 
trees were ftripped of their leaves, the fprings of water failed, 
and the earth every where : gaped in fi fibres. -For dome time a 
copious dew falling in the night fupplied the deficiency of rain ; 
but this did not laffc long : yet a thick fog, which rendered the 
neighbouring hills invifible for months together, and nearly 
obfcured the fun, never ceafed to hang over the land, and add 
a gloom to the profpedl already but too melancholy. The 
Europeans on the coaft fuffered extremely by ficknefs ; about a 
fourth part of the whole number being carried off by fevers 
E e e 2 
and 
