A few observations on the climate of Teneriffe / by Archibald Wm. Pulteney Pinkerton.

  • Pinkerton, Archibald William Pulteney.
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A few observations on the climate of Teneriffe / by Archibald Wm. Pulteney Pinkerton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    or afternoon according to the wind or atmosphere. After this no markings occur on the dry side again, all being more or less damp, varying during the day, and from day to day, the effect of the rains. On the'lOth, the marking is on the damp side, from 3 to 4, a few days before rain had fallen. Snow had appeared on the Peak, and thongli there was no wind, a sharp feeling could be perceived, not dry but moist. Next day 5 is marked on the damp side, rain during the morning, with damp east wind and clouds. The same may be noticed for the 12th. On the 13th all cloud and rain had disap- peared, and 2 degrees to the dry side are marked. Towards even- ing a sea-breeze set in, and the needle set at ]^ damp. On the 16th, 2 dry is again marked during the prevalence of a land wind from Africa. Next day, from 0 the needle set at 3 damp, and though the wind was still east, it was no longer irritating, but, on the contrary, moist and damp. During the remainder of January and February, damp markings prevail, with showers, moist or sea-winds exemplifying their influ- ence, the last-mentioned dry marking being an exception, caused by a dry land wind. On the 19th of January the damp markings are only 2 or 2|, though an east wind prevailed, exemplifying the fact that per- sons are too apt to call days damper, rawer, or colder than they really either therm ometrically or hygrometrically are, for, as in this case, though the day did feel more raw and damp, it was, in fact, neither, being only 2% damp, and 68° mid-day temperature. On the 15th February only 2 damp is marked for the afternoon, arising from a brisk, lively current of air from the west, tinctured with the comparative dryness of land and the chill of snow, analogous to what occur on the Continent. But though thus derived or modified, the damp was only 2, while the temperature was 62° to 61°, 10 P.M. Two days after, the snow melting, rendered it more raw and damp. From a fortnight to three weeks is the usual continuance of the rains both during the winter and spring; several days occur- ring both before and after, of so broken a nature as to prevent in- valids from venturing out. The rain comes down in torrents, but the ground soon dries when the sun sets in with full uninterrupted ray. In some small districts near the foot of the hills and open- ings of the ravines, from the accumulated vegetable debris brought down perhaps only so far, and not washed away to the sea, slight effluvia may exist. In one defile near the high lands, ague from this cause is not unfrequent, but in the town it never occurs spon- taneously. From the foregoing statements, it seems as if Teneriffe offers ad- vantages not possessed by other places, and which would be of great service to those with whom the extremes of dryness or moisture do not agree. It is more windy than other places, but it is drier. It is not situated on the Continent, and so possesses insular advantages, combined with others derived from its high mountain land, similar to what one meets on the land. It at present possesses good roads