The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-01-19
From the Presbyterian and Indt
Tropical Seasons.
BARRANQUILLA, 1869.


Until my late coming to this country, l
supposed that Tropical Seasons were as GER
tain and as clearly marked as are those of
the temperate zones; and 1 thought myself
justified IN maintaining this belief, as it was
based on an experience and observation of
more than three years and half during my
former life in this land, In a word, sup
posed that "winter" without rain here
would be as real and serious a disturbance
Of the established laws and order of nature
as a winter without cold would be in the lat
itude of New York or Philadelphia. That
may be really so; but in that case | have
found to my cost and sorrow that the estab
lished order and laws of nature may be set
aside without the interposition of miracle.
But in order that the reader may under
stand me, l must explain the terms am
using. "Winter," in tropical Spanish, does
not mean the season of cold, but the season
of rain. To the north of the equator, it
begins in the month of March; and in the
mountains of the interior it lasts three
months. When it has fairly set in, it rains
every day, usually but few hours at time
out of the twenty.four; though, as at home,
there are "rainy spells, when it rains with
out intermission and with more or less sever
ity for several days together. Then follows
three months of summer, or dry season.
not so dry, however, but that there may be
in certain localities mists and drizzling wealth
er, disagreeable enough, but no rain to wet
the earth or run in the streets, Then swim
ter" sets in again and lasts till the end of
November, when follows a summer without
clouds.
Local causes effect some change on this
coast. The rainy season begins in April,
and it rains more or less for six weeks or
two months, which is followed by a veranillO,
or "ittle SUMNER" which ends about the
last of July. The winter is then expected to
commence in good earnest, being at the same
time the season of greatest heat, and con-
tiuue till the middle or end of November
About that time the trade wind sets in from
the N. E. and blows, with little intermission
day or night, increasing sometimes into a
steady gale, particularly in the month of
March, till the month of April. With you,
a north-easter brings the most wet and disa,
greeable weather, and wind from the At
lantic is the almost sure precursor of rain.
Here, for some reason which do not un-
derstand, it is just the reverse-rain may
come from any quarter except the sea; and
as long as that sea wind blows whether in
season or out of it, adieu to all hopes of re-
freshing showers.
Where crops get their growth in the rainy
season and mature in the dry, and where
these seasons come with unfailing regularity,
the making of crop is very simple mat,
ter. Little art is required, and still less
science. Neither pick, spade, nor plough,
are in demand, but a machette half sword
half Bowie-knife) serves to open the ground
and keep down the most refractory of the
weeds and bushes. Not one in a thousand
of these people would know plough if they
saw it, nor would they use it for you even if
you doubled their wages.
Now, for two or three years past, the sea
sons on all these coasts and in the interior
have been sadly out of joint; and am told
the same is true of the Greater and Less
Antilles. "The sun knoweth his going
down, but the clouds, obedient to higher
will, have forgotten their accustomed bless
ings. Crops have failed, the tolls of the la
boring man have been unrequited, and mer-
chants and spectators have found their bu-
siness one of great danger and little profit.
TIL within a week or two past August,
the trade-wind, or something that CORES
ponds to it, has blown with almost as little
as in its appointed season.
Now there are indications that we shall have
rain in abundance; some predict it will be in