WET AND DRY SEASONS. 158

pleased to see the young trees grow; and I pruned them, and led
them up to grow as much alike as I could; and it is scarce credible
how beautiful a figure they grew into in three years. So that,
though the hedge made a circle of about twenty-five yards in
diameter, yet the trees (such I might now call. them) soon covered
it; and it was a complete shade, sufficient to lodge under all the
dry season.

This made me resolve to cut some more stakes, and make me a
hedge like this in a semicircle round my wall—I mean that of my
first dwelling—which I did; and placing the trees or stakes in a
double row, at about eight yards distance from my first fence, they
grew presently, and were at first a fine cover to my habitation,
and afterwards served as a defence also, as I shall observe in its order.

I found now that the seasons of the year might generally be
divided, not into summer and winter, as in Europe, but into the
rainy seasons and the dry seasons, which were generally thus :—

Half February,
March, } Rainy—the sun being then on or near the Equinox.
Half April,
Half April,
May,
June, Dry—the sun being then to the north of the Line.
July,
Half August,
Half August,
September, } Rainy—the sun being then come back.
Half October,
Half October,
November,
December, Dry—the sun being then to the south of the Line.
January,
Half February,

The rainy season sometimes held longer or shorter, as the
winds happened to blow, but this was the general observation I
made. After I had found, by experience, the ill consequence of
being abroad in the rain, I took care to furnish myself with pro-
visions beforehand, that I might not be obliged to go out; and I

sat within doors as much as possible during the wet months.
(284) 11