Africa

Excerpt from book: direction, and parallel with the Atlas as far as the Figig Oasis near the Algerian frontier. The dews also are very abundant in the districts north of the Atlas and on the Atlas itself, but slight on its southern side. 7. Winds. From October to February north-westerly winds prevail almost exclusively, shifting most in the latter month, when as many as six or seven opposing currents succeed each other in the course of the day. In March northerly breezes prevail, after which to the end of September southwesterly and southern winds. On the Atlantic coast a very refreshing sea breeze blows inland during the summer from nine in the morning till the afternoon, when the south-west wind acquires the ascendant. These south-western and southern winds often bring with them clouds of locusts, as in the years 1778 and 1780. The Atlas, however, seems to present a barrier to these voracious insects, which are met with north of that range in small and detached swarms only. 8. Temperature and Seasons of Algeria. In Algiers and Tunis the climate is exceedingly uniform, much resembling that of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Provence, and Greece. But in the Sahara, that is south of the great Border Range, the temperature is quite tropical, the heat, even in Biskra, being very oppressive and fatal to many Europeans. On the uplands of the Tell, as in central Europe, there are distinguished four seasons, succeeding each other very gently. The greatest heat lasts from the middle of June till about the middle of September, during which period not a drop of rain falls anywhere in Algeria. Then begin the beneficent autumnand winter rains, the sun shining out very warmly at intervals, so that by the beginning of October the whole land is again clothed in the richest vegetation. The rainy season lasts...