176 THE TORNADO OF 1851. 



claim the more limited theory, who maintain that each tree is twisted from its bed, as 

 one might be supposed to extract a screw, I feel bound to say, that although a most 

 faithful search was made for evidence, yet, throughout the whole extent of these observa- 

 tions, only two cases have been met with, which can even be twisted to agree with their 

 theory. A tall young hickory was found standing, and twisted 180^ upon its own 

 trunk. The top rested upon the ground. The trunk was not broken off, but the fibres 

 were separated, and the whole appearance was precisely what you would have if you 

 took a bundle of fibres, and, placing it vertically, held the lower half, while you twisted 

 the upper through 180^, and brought the top to the ground. The other case is that of 

 a chimney lying on the left or northwest side of the axis. The bottom of this chimney 

 stood firmly, while the top was twisted round upon it, as if it had been a distinct block, 

 the south side of it moving towards the west. Even in the case of broken trees, no 

 evidence of twisting is to be found. Any one who breaks a green twig, by twisting one 

 part upon the other, will find in the broken parts, especially in the bark, the evidences 

 of torsion. But here, although many broken trees were examined, some of them broken 

 entirely through the trunk, others only as far as the heart, no evidences of torsion were 

 found. The fractured fibres were in every case straight. 



Another very significant fact, in its bearing upon this point, is the following. The 

 course of the tornado was from southwest to northeast. It held in suspension a great 

 quantity of muddy water, and we find, as we examine the houses, trees, and stone walls 

 which it met with in its course, that the southwest face of these is bespattered with mud, 

 while the northeast face remains clean. In some cases of trees which I examined, it 

 is no exaggeration to say, that the line of demarcation between these two surfaces was 

 as well defined, as if one face had been painted with a mud-wash and the other left in 

 its natural state. 



I have conversed with many persons who saw the storm-cloud, and watched its prog- 

 ress for many miles. There is some diversity in their accounts of its appearance, as we 

 should naturally expect ; for unless it were a perfect surface of revolution, it would 

 appear differently as viewed from different positions, and even under the latter suppo- 

 sition, difference of elevation would affect its appearance. Upon one point, however, 

 they generally agree ; namely, that it had a conical shape, the vertex of the cone nearest 

 the earth, and that it changed its distance, rising and falling as it advanced. Some add 

 to this a lateral motion, and liken the movements of its elongated apex to those of an 

 elephant's trunk. I mention this point merely to have an opportunity of calling attention 

 to the facts observed during the survey, and which seem to confirm these views. In 

 certain parts the apple-trees will be found to have suffered severely, while the tall forest- 



