44 



AUGUST, 18G4. 

 THE DROUGHT. 



We append a iew notices in continuation of those previously given on the 

 prevalence and extent of the drought. 



Santa Barbara, California. — "The absence of almost any rain during the 

 past winter has made tliis part of the State almost a desert. I do not think 

 more than an inch and a half of rain has fallen since last spring. The cattle 

 have nearly all died, and the face of the country is as barren as the streets of a 

 city. More rain fell last month than in all the rest of the season together ; 

 while, in ordinary years, May has little rain. Instead of rain storms, which 

 usually come from the southeast, we had, during the months of February, 

 March, and April, a succession of northwesterly winds, blowing with great 

 violence from about 10 a. m. till 8 or 10 p. m., which is also a strange phenom- 

 enon here." — W. W. Hays, M. D., June 1, 1S64. 



Sacramento, California. — With the exception of the season of 1850-'51, the 

 past, which ends with the present August, has been characterized by a drought 

 as disastrous as it is remarkable. Never have the streams and springs been so 

 completely dried up before, or the water in the Sacramento river been observed 

 at so low a point. Fortunately, just as navigation had become difficult in the 

 extreme, a heavy rain, unprecedented as to tlie extent of territory over 

 which it spread as well as its duration and quantity, cams most opportunely to 

 swell the shallow streams. Owing to the immense quantities of rain that fell 

 north of the American river, the Sacramento rose some fifteen inches. 



Fort Madison, loum. — August, a very dry month; pastures bare, and wells 

 low and failing. 



Wavcrly, Illinois, August 31. — August has been remarkable for its extreme 

 drought. The wells and streams are very lov,^, water for stock very scarce, and 

 many families on short allowance for family use. The pastures are parched 

 and dry. The corn crop has been injured to some extent by drought, but a 

 much better crop than last year. 



Pom/ret, Connecticut, August 31. — The drought is greater here than has 

 been known for many years. Wells are getting dry that are not wont to fail ; 

 grass for the cattle fails. 



Mendon, Massachusetts, August 31. — Water in well but once as low as now 

 in the last thirty-eight years. 



Windsor, Nova Scotia. — Scptcmhcr 14. — The drought has not extended to 

 these regions. There was a good deal of rain about seed-time, then a drought 

 till the middle of hay-time, when there were heavy falls of rain, and the weather 

 has been upon the whole wet ever since. Private letters from England (Suffolk) 

 received a fortnight since, informed me that the drought there had been exces- 

 sive, the ponds being drier than ever remembered to have been before. — /. J). 

 Everett. 



* AURORA. 



_ August 24, 1864. — On the night of the 24th of August a beautiful arch of 

 light, extending from horizon to horizon through or near the zenith, was observed 

 over a wide extent of country. The following notices, taken from the registers, 

 describe it as seen by observers from Maine to Minnesota : 



Cornish, Maine. — August 24. — A faint aurora in the evening. 



Steuben, Maine. — August 24. — Aurora at 9 p. m. ; a faint white arch half- 

 way up north star. 



Mendon, Massachusetts. — August 24. — Aurora in a single jet from NW. to 

 the zenith ; very beautiful at 10 p. m. 



Worcester, Massachusetts. — August 24. — At 11 p. m. the sky Avas spanned 



