_The Congo Basin._--The climate of the basin of the Congo is notoriously unhealthy, especially as the portion as yet opened up seldom extends far beyond the low malarious banks of the great river and its tributaries. The warmest month is February or March, and the coldest July or August. Hann gives the following table of the temperatures of the following stations:-- ===============+========+===========+============+============ Station |Latitude|Mean Annual|Mean Temper-|Mean Temper- | |Temperature| ature of | ature of | | | Warmest | Coldest | | | Month | Month | |----+------+-----+------+-----+------ | | F. | ~C.~ | F. | ~C.~ | F. | ~C.~ ---------------+--------+----+------+-----+------+-----+------ Luluaberg |5·9° S. |81·3|~27·4~| 81·7|~27·6~| 80·8|~27·1~ Congo, mouth of|6·0° S. |76·8|~24·9~| 80·5|~26·9~| 70·9|~21·6~ Vivi |5·7° S. |77·2|~25·1~| 80·5|~26·9~| 71·7|~22·0~ San Salvador |6·3° S. |77·9|~25·5~| 81·0|~27·2~| 72·8|~22·7~ Brazzaville |4·3° S. |81·2|~27·3~| 84·7|~29·3~| 75·2|~24·0~ Bolobo |2·2° S. |80·5|~26·9~| 81·5|~27·5~| 79·4|~26·3~ Equatorville |0·0 |79·1|~26·2~| 80·6|~27·0~| 78·2|~25·7~ Bangala |1·5° N. |78·9|~26·0~| 80·8|~27·1~| 77·7|~25·4~ ===============+========+====+======+=====+======+=====+====== These are typical equatorial climates, the greatest range between the means of the coldest and hottest months being at most 9·5° F. (5·3° C.), while in one case the range is less than one degree of the Fahrenheit scale, and though the temperatures are in no case excessive, the dampness of the atmosphere makes the heat of a very trying character, especially in certain localities, as at Stanley’s Pool, where during August and September there are certain peculiar night-winds which, not unfrequently, are the cause of cases of heat apoplexy, and this although the highest temperature recorded is but 97°, at Brazzaville. There are two rainy seasons, in April and November. The dry period falls in June and July, but is not very marked in the interior. The table on next page will give an idea of the amount and distribution of the rainfall. _On the West Coast_, at Bathurst, the highest temperature occurs in October, during the period of the greater rains, the annual extremes being 98·8° F. (37·1° C.) and 57·4° F. (14·1° C.); the greatest daily variation of temperature being met with during the dry season, January to April, when it amounts to about 20° F. (11·5° C.). The rainfall varied during eleven years from about 32 ins. (813 mm.) to 78 ins. (1,980 mm.). In December, a cool morning breeze known as the Harmattan sets in, and continues till February or March. The rains begin in June and end in September. MONTHLY RAINFALL IN THE CONGO BASIN.