In this country the month of August is extremely stormy ; and rain incessantly falls. It continues to fall every day until October, when though less frequent, the showers are still heavy, and set in with hurricanes from the south-east. lu proportion as the rain diminishes, the heat increases, and the air becomes less damp and more salubrious. About the end of October the rains cease entirely, the days become exceedingly hot, aud the nights cool. In November and December the weather is very fine, and the wind blows frequently from the north-east and sometimes from the north. A cold north wind begins to prevail nt the end of December. At this season the trees shed their leaves.
The country between 10° 30' N. lat. and tho southern banks of the Joliba River is less fertile. The surface of the conutry is slightly undulating or a level. Several tracts which are a little depressed below the general surface are swamps during the greatest part of the year, whilst others are always in this state. The first are either used as pasture-grounds, or rice is cultivated on them, as well as on the borders of the others, and along the alluvial banks of the rivers. Shea-trees and nal& are dispersed over large tracts, and here nearly all the vegetable butter is collected which is consumed on the banks of the Joliba as far as Timbuctoo. Ina few places the baobab trees abound, whose leaves and fruit supply auother article of trade to the countries farther north. In the more fertile tracts millet is exten sively cultivated. The Ilibiecue cannabinue abounds in many places, and ropes are made for sale at the markets on the Joliba, where these ropes are used to fasten together the boards of which the barges are made. The marshes are frequented by numbers of aquatic birds. From the ferruginous atones, which are so frequent in this region, iron is extracted, and is an article of export to the banks of the Joliba. The country along the banks of this river is annually inundated to a consi derable extent,. A great part of it has been converted into marshes, which serve as pasture-grounds; but on the drier parte rice, maize, and other grains are cultivated.
That part of Westeru Sfulau which is north of the Joliba and the marshes contiguous to the river is tolerably fertile to a considerable distance from its banks. It is a plain, with occasional sandy hills and rocky eminences. The soil produces pleutiful crops of millet and maize. 'Villages and towns are numerous. But in proceeding farther north, the soil becomes less fertile, as the sand of the Sahara is fre quently thrown upon it by the strong north-eastern winds. There are numerous wild anirnala, as elephants, lions, panthers, leopards, and wild hogs. Among the domestic animals are camels.
The country on both sides of the Joliba is sultry and oppressive before the setting in of the rains. Abont the middle of June the heated atmosphere is agitated by violent gusts of wind, accompanied with thunder and rain. These usher in the rainy season, which continuea to the month of November. The prevailing winds are from the south-west. The termination of the rainy season is likewise attended with violent tornadoes, after which the wind shifts to the north-east, and continues to blow from that quarter for the rest of the year. When the north-east wind sets in the grass becomes dry
and withered, the rivers subside very rapidly, and the trees shed their leaves. At this period the hamattan' is commonly felt, a dry and parching wind blowing from the north-east, and accompanied by a thick smoky haze, through which the sun appears of a dull red colour. As this wind passes over the Great Desert, it becomes exceedingly hot and dry as it approaches Widen, and parches up everything which is exposed to it.
Central SO,dan comprehends that portion which extends from the river Quorra, where it flows southward, as far east as Lake Tchad and the river Sharp, which falls into the lake, or from 5° to 16° E. long. It may be divided into two regions, a hilly, and an alluvial plain. The first occupies the country west of 11° E. long., and the plain occupies the remainder.
The billy region seems to extend to the very border of the Sahara, which in these parts occurs between 14° and 15° N. lat. The surface is extremely diversified in character and in productiveness. The highest bills which have been seen are not much more than 700 feet above their base, and the general level of the country seems to be about 1000 or 1200 feet above the sea. A great part of this region extends in level plains, which are chiefly converted Into large swamps or temporary lakes during the rainy season, but this circumstance is favourable to fertility. A large tract in which the swamps exist all the year round, situated north of 13' N. lat. and between Vend 8° E. long., is known by the name of the Gondami Swamps. Hills of granite, of moderate elevation, inclose this tract on all aides, and prevent the water which collects on its surface from running off in any direction. These hills are covered with stunted trees, whilst the country between them and the swamps is overgrown with forests. Nearly all the rivers and watercourses of this region are very rapid and deep during the rainy season, but in the dry season only pools, sometimes single, sometimes in rows, occupy the lowest part of their bed. The soil retains moisture all the year round. Clay constitutes the predominant soil ; in several places it is intermixed with gravel, and in others covered with a thin layer of sand. Its quality of retaining moisture for a long time, even under a burning sun, renders this region the most fertile tract of Africa north of the equator, and is populous in spite of the continual wars between its sovereigns, and its being situated in the centre of Africa and being nearly secluded from com mercial intercourse with other parts of the world. The grains which are generally cultivated are rice, Indian core, Guinea core, and millet. Cotton, tobacco, and indigo are grown to a great extent. Yams, sweet potatoes, beans, and other vegetables are cultivated. In the districts south of 10' N. lat. palm-oil and cocoa-nut trees abound. In the same places plantains and bananas are grown in abundance. In the eastern districts date-trees are common. The frult-treee which are moat common are figs, pomegranates, limes, papaws, and tamarinds ; the butter-tree also abounds in several places ; the mango tree is cul tivated, and occurs also in a wild state. The fields are often watered from deep wells.