experienced in the equatorial regions of the earth, there being continued summer weather throughout the year, interrupted only by occasional slight variations in the thermometrical state of the atmosphere, caused by the greater strength of the ordinary breezes, and by clouds and rain; which latter prevail so much more during one half of the year than during the other half, as to give rise to the usually recognized division of the year into two seasons— the wet or rainy season and the dry season—or, in common parlance, "the rains" and "the dries;" the former of which answers nearly to summer and autumn, and the latter to winter and spring, in temperate latitudes.

2. This unqualified and somewhat arbitrary division of the year, however, has led many persons into error respecting the real state of the weather during these two seasons, some supposing that during the rainy season more or less rain falls every day; and on the other hand, during the dry season, an uninterrupted spell of hot and dry weather prevails for six successive months. This is so far from being the case, that, as a general rule, it may be stated, that some rain falls in every month in the year; and in every month there is some fine, clear, pleasant weather.

3. During my residence in Liberia I seldom observed a deviation from this general rule. Much more rain, however, falls during the six months beginning with May than during the remaining six months beginning with November. It is difficult, however, to determine at what time each of the two seasons actually commences and closes. As a general rule, I think the middle of May may be set down as the beginning of the rainy season, and the middle of November that of the dry season. In order, however, to give an accurate and comprehensive statement of the character of the climate and seasons of Liberia, it may be the best plan to note the vicissitudes of each month in the year as they are usually presented.

4. January is usually the driest and one of the warmest months in the year. Sometimes, during this month, no

rain at all falls, but generally there are occasional slight showers, particularly at night. Were it not for the seabreeze, which prevails with almost uninterrupted regularity through the greater part of the day, on almost every day throughout the year, the weather would be exceedingly oppressive during the first three or four months of the year. As it is, the oppressiveness of the rays of the tropical sun is greatly mitigated by the cooling breezes from the ocean, which usually blow from about ten o'clock A.M. to about ten P.M., the land-breeze occupying the remainder of the night and morning, except for an hour or two about the middle of the night, and about an hour in the forenoon.

5. During these intervals the atmosphere is sometimes very oppressive. The regularity .of the sea-breeze, especially in the month of January, is sometimes interrupted by the longer continuance of the land-breeze, which occasionally does not cease blowing until two or three o'clock P.M. This is what is called the harmattan wind, about which a great deal has been written, but which does not generally fully accord with the forced descriptions of hasty observers or copyists.

6. The principal peculiarity of the harmattan wind consists in its drying properties and its very sensible coolness, especially early in the morning. It seldom, perhaps never, continues the whole day, and usually not much longer than the ordinary land-breeze at other times in the year. When this wind blows pretty strongly, the leaves and covers of books sometimes curl, as if they had been placed near a fire; the seams of furniture and of wooden vessels sometimes open considerably, and the skin of persons sometimes feels peculiarly dry and unpleasant in consequence of the rapid evaporation of both the sensible and the insensible perspiration.

7. But these effects are usually by no means so great as they have been represented to be. What is generally called the harmattan season usually commences about the

middle of December, and continues until the latter part of February. During this time, especially in the month of January, the atmosphere has a smoky appearance, similar to what is termed Indian summer in the United States, but generally more hazy.

8. The average height of the mercury in the thermometer during the month of January is about 85°. It seldom varies more than ten degrees during the twenty-four hours of the day, and usually it does not vary more than four degrees between the hours of ten A.M. and ten P.M. In this month, however, I have seen the mercury stand at the lowest mark at which I ever observed it in Liberia—that is, at 68°. This was early in the morning, during the prevalence of a strong and very cool land-breeze. In this month I have also seen the mercury stand at the highest mark at which I ever observed it-that is, at 90°. The air is sometimes uncomfortably cool before eight o'clock A.M. during this month.

CHAPTER VII.

CLIMATE AND SEASONS.-Continued.

1. DURING the month of February, the weather is generally similar to that of January. There are, however, usually more frequent showers of rain, and sometimes, toward the close of this month, slight tornadoes are experienced. The harmattan haze generally disappears about the last of this month, and the atmosphere becomes clear. The range of the thermometer is about the same as in January.

2. March is perhaps the most trying month in the year to the constitutions of new-comers. The atmosphere is usually very oppressive during this month, the sun being

nearly vertical. The occasional showers of rain, and the slight tornadoes, which occur in this month, do not usually mitigate the oppressiveness of the atmosphere, as might be supposed. The variation in the state of the atmosphere, as indicated by the thermometer, seldom exceeds 60 dur ing the whole of this month. The average height of the mercury is about 85°.

3. April is significantly called the "tornado month," the most numerous and most violent tornadoes usually occurring during this month. The ordinary state of the weather, in reference to the degree of heat, and its influence on the system, is not very different from that of the three preceding months.

4. The showers of rain are usually more frequent, however, and the visitations of those peculiar gusts, called tornadoes, are much more common in April than in any other month. These are sudden and sometimes violent gusts, which occur much more frequently at night than during the dry. Although they usually approach suddenly and rapidly, yet certain premonitory evidences of their approach are almost always presented, which are generally easily recognized by persons who have frequently observed them. They generally commence from the northeast or east-northeast, and rapidly shift around to nearly southeast, by which time the storm is at its height.

· 5. At the commencement of a tornado, dark clouds appear above the eastern horizon, which rapidly ascend until a dense, lurid-looking mass spreads over the whole hemisphere. As the heavy mass of clouds ascends and spreads, the roaring sound of the wind becomes stronger and louder, until suddenly it bursts forth in its fury, sometimes seeming as if it would sweep away every opposing object. Very seldom, however, is any material injury sustained from these violent gusts. The scene is sometimes awfully grand for fifteen or twenty minutes, during the formation and continuance of a heavy tornado.

6. Sometimes the whole hemisphere presents a scene of

the deepest gloom, the darkness of which is momentarily illuminated by vivid flashes of lightning in rapid succession, and sometimes tremendous peals of thunder burst upon the solemn stillness of the scene. The rain seldom falls until the violence of the gust begins to subside, when a torrent usually pours down for a short time, seldom more than half an hour; after which the wind shifts around toward the west, and generally in about an hour from the commencement of the tornado the sky becomes serene, and sometimes almost cloudless.

7. The weather during the month of May is usually more pleasant than in the two preceding months. The atmosphere is generally not quite so warm and oppressive. Sometimes copious and protracted showers of rain fall during the latter half of this month. Tornadoes also occasionally appear in the month of May. The average height of the mercury in the thermometer is usually two or three degrees less than during the four preceding months.

8. June is perhaps the most rainy month in the year. More or less rain usually falls nearly every day or night in this month. Although there are sometimes clear and pleasant days in June, yet there are seldom twenty-four successive hours of entire freedom from rain. The sun is, however, seldom entirely obscured for a week at a time, and he frequently shines out brightly and pleasantly in the interstices between the floating clouds several times during the day, occasionally for several hours at a time. During this month, as in all the other rainy months, more rain always falls at night than in the daytime; and, indeed, there are very few days in the year in which the use of an umbrella may not be dispensed with some time during the ordinary business hours.

9. In the month of June the atmosphere is always considerably cooler than in the preceding months, and I generally found it necessary to wear woolen outer as well as under garments, and to sleep beneath thick covering at night in order to be comfortably warm. The sensible per