Geography of Hayti. 
2 7 
Island, occasion, through the evaporation caused by the beat 
itself, a kind of cooling effect. 
“ Thus, by an immutable order, the contemplation of -which 
enraptures the philosopher, nature has ordained that everything 
should aid in maintaining a sort of equilibrium in the climate of 
St. Domingo. 
“ The two seasons (summer and winter) are more marked 
in the mountains than in the plains, and in general the atmos¬ 
pheric changes are more frequent in the former. Here it is 
that the temperature is mildest, and here are never felt either 
the sultry heat or those winds which, when they become violent, 
are more apt to dry the air than to refresh and renew it. 
“ In fact, residence in the mountains is more pleasant than 
in the plains. Country life seems here to have a more simple 
character, and to be more independent of all those restraints 
which etiquette imposes as a law upon the towns, and even 
upon the neighboring country. It is seldom that the thermome¬ 
ter rises above 18 or 20 degrees * whilst in the plains it reaches 
the mean rate of the towns, and consequently marks as high as 
30 degrees.f The nights here are sometimes so cool that the 
use of a blanket is almost a necessity. There are even some 
mountains in St. Domingo where, at certain seasons, fire is a 
real enjoyment in the evening. This is not on account of any 
extreme cold, since the thermometer never sinks lower than 
about 12 or 14 degrees; J but the contrast of this temperature to 
that of the day is so acutely felt that the words cold and heat 
are not to be understood in the same sense as in a cold climate. 
Like the other West India Islands, Hayti is subject to the 
tempests which happen so often in this part of America, and 
which still bear the name given to them by the Indians. But 
it is the South part of the Island, including the country lying 
between Cape England and Iron Point, which suffers more 
* Reaumur, equal to 72ior 77 degrees, Fahrenheit, 
t Equal to 99£ degrees, Fahrenheit. 
t Equal to 59 or 63J degrees, Fahrenheit. 
