SOIL AND CLIMATE. o

are equally divided, or with but imperceptible varia-

tion, and, as in all tropical climates, there is no twi-

light; for with sunset night begins. During the

dry season, everything in nature appears desolate

and dismal ; the plants are burnt up ; the trees lose

their leaves, and ai>pear like brooms ; no bird is heard

to sing ; no animal delights to disport in the glad-

ness of its existence ; every living being creeps to-

wards the forest to secrete itself, seeking shelter

from the fearful heat ; save that, now and then, an

ostrich will be seen traversing the desert fields in

flying pace, or a giraffe hastening from one oasis to

another. In this season, however, frightful hurri-

canes occasionally arise, and fill the minds of those, who have not been witness of such a phenomenon

in nature before, with the utmost consternation. A

powerful current of air, of suffocating heat, blows

fiercely from one point of the heavens to the other,

devastating everjlhing that lies in its course. Tlie

atmosphere bears at these times generally a leaden

grey appearance, and is impregnated with fine sand

:

the sun loses its brilliancy, and total darkness enve-

lopes the earth, rendering it even difficult to distin-

guish objects at a few paces distant. The sky

changes suddenly, becomes of a yellow colour, then assumes a reddish hue, and the sun appears as a

blood-red disk. The wind howls, tears up every-

thing within its reach ; houses, fences, and trees

by the roots, carrying them away with it; levels mounds of sand, and piles up fresh hills. In short,