Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-26

Range OF Iemperature
In the mountains the inhabitants enjoy
the GOODNESS of spring, while the valleys
would be uninhabitable were it not for the
dali. breeze which blows generally from
the northeast and east. For example, in
Pon1e the monday sun is felt in all its
rigor, while at the village of Adjuntas,
four leagues distant in the interior of the
mountains, the traveller feels invigorated
by the refreshing breezes of a temperate
cline. AT one place the thermometer Is
as high as 90 degrees, while in another 1t
is sometimes under 60 degrees. Although
the seasons are not so distinctly marked
in this climate as they are in Europe Che
trees being always green), yet there is a
distinction to be made between them. The
division into wet and dry seasons (Winter
and summer) does not give proper idea
OF the seasons in this island; for on the
north coast it sometimes rains almost the
whole year, while sometimes for twelve
or fourteen months not drop of rain falls
on the south coast. However, in the noun
taiEs at the south there are daily showers
Therefore the climate of the north and
south coasts of this island, although under
the same tropical influence. is essentially
different.
As in all tropical countries, the year is
divided into two seasons-the dry and the
rainy. In general the rainy season COM
mences in August and ends the last of De
cemDer, southerly and westerly winds pre-
vailing during this period. The rainfall is
excessive, often inundating fields and form
ing extensive lagoons. The exhaIations
from these lagoons give rise to a number
OF diseases, but. nevertheless, Porto Rico
Is one OF the healthiest islands of the ar
chipelago.
In the month of May the rains commence.
not with the fury of a deluge as in the
months or August and September, but
heavier than any rain experienced in Eu-
rope. Peels of thunder reyerberating
through the mountains give a warning of
their approach. and the sun breaking
through the clouds promotes the prolific
vegetation of the fields with its vivifying
neat The heat at this season is equal to
the summer of Europe, and the nights are
cool and pleasant: but the dews are heavy
and pernicious to health.
The weather, after fifteen or twenty
days rain clears up. and the sun, whose
heat has been hitherto moderated by par
tial clouds and showers of rain, seems, as
1t We're, set in a cloudless sky. The cat
tie in the pastures look for the shade of
the trees, and perfect calm pervades the
whole face of nature from sunrise till be-
tween 10 and II o'clock in the morning,
when the sea breeze sets in. The leaves
OF the trees seem as If afraid to move,
and the sea, without a wave or a ruffie on
it's vast expanse, appears like an immense
mirror Man partakes in the general lam
guor well as the vegetable and brute
creation.
The nights, although warm, are delight
IuIy CltdE anu StTelie DIT tHlS StdSON OD-
jects may be clearly distinguished at the
distance of several hundred yards. SO that
one may even shoot by moonlight
The Weather in Summer.
The months of June and July offer very
little variation in the weather or tempera-
ture.
In August suffocating heat reigns
throughout the day, and at night it is USE
less to seek for GOODNESS; a faint zephyr Is
succeeded by a calm of several hours.
The atmosphere is heavy and oppressive.
and the body, weakened by perspriation.
becomes languld; the appetite fails, and
the mosquitoes, buzzing about the ears
by day and night. perplex and annoy by
their stings, while the fevers of the tropics
attack Europeans with sudden and ire
sistible violence. This is the most sickly
season for the European. The thermom-
eter frequently exceeds 80 degrees. The
clouds exhibit menacing appearance. por-
tending the approach of the heavy au-
tumnal rains. which pour down like del
uge. About the middle of September II
appears as If all the yapors of the ocean
had accumulated in one point of the hea-
vens. The rain comes down like an i'm