Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-08-18


which give such diversity to the aspect of
nature in temperate climate, are unknown
in torrid zones, where instead Of the transit
ton from Winter to Spring and Sunni or
and Autumn, and TO Winter again, there is
simply a change from the dry season to the
wet. In India there are three distinct
phases of climate, the fiji ST, or hot term, be-
ginning in March and continuing TO June
the second. or rainy period, lasting from
June 10 September, and the third, or cold
season, PREVAILING through the rest of the
twelve months. The climate is delightful
in the mountains during the heated term,
and on the plains during the cool months
of the year but in those weeks when the
floodgates of heaven are opened and the
rains descend il is disagreeable everywhere.
In the mountains the rainfall is frequently
800 inches, or 25 feet, in the brief period of
four months. The water does not come
down from the burdened clouds in drops
or splashes or jets, but in cataracts that
quickly convert quiet streams into roaring
torrents, and dry lands into a spongy mo-
rass. In the hot season the mercury in the
thermometer scars alolt among amazingly
high figures, often reaching the altitude OF
1GO degrees. Mrs. IIauser for seven year,
a resident of India, remarks that "it is not
uncommon for it to be 140 at midday, and
have known it TO be ITO in the house at 10
o'clock at night" During this period the
brazen sky is coudless, "and one day is as
like another" as ii possibly can I've. The sun
rises like big globe of fire, and goes down
in blaze. The ground is bare, filled with
crevices, and is hardened like stone. Soil
that in the rains is as soft as a sand heap,
during the dry weather can bescarcely dug
up-fre flying at every stroke of The hoe.
"Sonetimes," continues Mrs. Hauser, "it
seems impossible for Europeans TO survive
the intense heat. Their houses are neces-
sarly very large, and built of brick-the
walls being II to feet thick, the ceilings
from 20 to 81 feet high, and the rooms 20
by 30 or 80 by 40 feet in size. There are gen.
orally a sitting-room dinng-room and bed
rooms, the latter being as large as any
room in the house. Each bedroom has a
bathroom attached TO it, as bath two or
three times day and as many entire changes
of clothing are necessary in order 10 go
through the day with any comfort. The
roofs of these houses are fiat, and are made
of strong beams a foot square, placed about
four feet apart. On these are joists one foot
apart, on which is laid floor of brick. On
this floor layer OF refuse lime, gravel and
pounded brick is placed. A gang OF knlis
-one for about every four square feet-sit
on their heels and pat the surface with lit
tie wooden mallets for day or two, while
plenty of water is thrown upon II. A sec
ond layer of inc brick and lime of several
inches in thickness, is put on, beaten and
watered in the same way as the first. Then
another layer of still finer material, well
beaten and, lastly, finer coating Of ce-
ment, " hch is mixed with n red colo r,
that gives the surface beautiful appear
ancc. II requires twelve kulis, two masons
and a water carrier about four days to fin
ish twelve feel square of such roof. When
finished it endures the hottest sun and the
severest rains without injury. The
floors Of the houses are made in the same
way as the roofs, though resting upon the
earth. The windows are generally in the
doors. = veranda, ten or twelve feet in
width, surrounds the house, except where
it is walled in TO make hath rooms" The
Europeans keep their houses closed from
morning until evening, in the hot season,
in order to exclude the sunlight and the
burning atmosphere; while the punkah is
in continual motion 10 create an artificial
breeze. All night long this huge fan de-
pending from the ceiling, sways back and
forth above each sleeper, "except when the
punkawalla himself takes a nap. Then
horrid dreams and nightmare wake the
persplring victim, and he goes for the fel
low outside, bestowing upon him some ca
ressing and encouraging remark" AnOth-
er device for cooling the interior of the
house in India is the 'tattie" which con-
sists of frame of bamboo thinly tbatched
with the roots of a fragrant grass, and fitted
into the outside doors. The tattie is kept
constantly wet, and the wind blowing
through II, is robbed of lis heat, and made
delightfully."- cool.