At Surat, And Thence To Agra And Beyond, It Only Rains During One Season
Of The Year, Which Begins When The Sun Comes To The Northern Tropic, And
Continues Till He Returns Again To The Line.
These violent rains are
ushered in, and take their leave, by most fearful tempests of thunder
and lightning, more terrible than I can express, but which seldom do any
harm.
The reason of this may be the subtile nature of the air, breeding
fewer thunder-stones, than where the air is grosser and more cloudy.
In these three months, it rains every day more or less, and sometimes
for a whole quarter of the moon without intermission. Which abundance of
rain, together with the heat of the sun, so enriches the soil, which
they never force by manure, that it becomes fruitful for all the rest of
the year, as that of Egypt is by the inundations of the Nile. After this
season of rain is over, the sky becomes so clear, that scarcely is a
single cloud to be seen for the other nine months. The goodness of the
soil is evident from this circumstance, that though the ground, after
the nine months of dry weather, looks altogether like barren sands, it
puts on an universal coat of green within seven days after the rains
begin to fall. Farther to confirm this, among the many hundreds of acres
I have seen in corn in India, I never saw any that did not grow up as
thick as it could well stand. Their ground is tilled by ploughs drawn by
oxen; the seed-time being in May or the beginning of June, and the
harvest in November and December, the most temperate months in all the
year. The ground is not inclosed, except near towns and villages, which
stand very thick. They do not mow their grass for hay as we do; but cut
it either green or withered, when wanted. They sow abundance of tobacco,
but know not the way to cure it and make it strong, as is done in
America.
The country is beautified by many woods, in which are a great variety of
goodly trees; but I never saw any there of the kinds we have in England.
In general their trees are full of sap, which I ascribe to the fatness
of the soil. Some have leaves as broad as bucklers; others are much
divided into small portions, like the leaves of ferns. Such are those of
the tamarind tree, which bears an acid fruit in a pod somewhat like our
beans, and is most wholesome to cool and purify the blood. One of their
trees is worthy of being particularly noticed: Out of its branches there
grow certain sprigs or fibres, which hang downwards, and extend till
they touch the ground, in which they strike roots, and become
afterwards new trunks and firm supporters to the boughs and arms; whence
these trees come in time to grow to a great height, and extend to an
incredible breadth.[231] All trees in the southern parts of India are
perpetually clothed in verdure Their flowers rather delight the eye than
please the sense of smelling, having beautiful colours, but few of them,
except roses and one or two other kinds, are any way fragrant.
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