The Climate and its Influence on Europeans.

Grey expresses the opinion that the climate of the north-west coast is the finest in the world. Dr. Elsley, who accompanied Gregory remarks:—"The climate is much more regular than in extra-tropical parts of Australia. It is remarkable for absence of humidity. There are three seasons—the wet season commencing about December and lasting to February; the spring or cool season, from March to July; and the dry or hot season, from August to November. In the cool season the weather was beautiful, noonday heat seldom above 95 cleg., tempered with a delicious south-east breeze for four months. The nights were cool; generally below 50deg. at sunrise and sometimes below 40 deg. This weather has a most beneficial effect on the health of the party." This, it must be observed, was on the Lower Victoria River. O'Donnell's party on the uplands experienced bitter cold nights in September, having had the water frozen for three nights in succession. It appears to be a climate somewhat similar to Northern Riverina, but blessed with a more regular and bounteous rainfall.

The writer of Durack's Exploration in N. W. Australia remarks that "with the exception of one or two slight attacks of diarrhœa from drinking bad water, all the party (six men) enjoyed excellent health, and the writer slept in the open air, using no tent for four months. Another explorer in the north-west was travelling during the summer and autum, and he spoke highly of the climate during that time, so that it may be concluded that in this respect Kimberley is equal to any other part of Australia, and superior to most other parts within the tropics.