362 The Iowa and Illinots Tornado. (July, 
they presented somewhat the appearance represented in 
Fig. 26. The two funnels did not appear to revolve around 
Fic. 26. 
each other. The first came to the east of Gibson’s house, 
took his stable, and then turned back to his house. The 
two then appeared to unite. Could not see the two after- 
ward. The tornado disappeared behind a building. It grew 
very dark. The funnels were of a dark blue; everything in 
them was rising. The timbers from Gibson’s house flew up. 
Did not see clear sky through the open space between the 
two funnels, but a bright yellowish hue. ‘The upper funnel 
extended to the clouds above. Hail, or rather chunks of 
ice, from a pigeon’s to a hen’s egg in size, fell before the 
tornado column came in sight. The wind then blew gently 
from the east. After the tornado had destroyed the school- 
house there came a violent gust of wind from the north- 
west, which considerably damaged my out-buildings. I had 
started to go to the school-house, and it carried me several 
yards before it. Immediately there fell a torrent of rain, 
with cold wind from the north. Was near where the school 
had been, but could not see anything. Suddenly saw the 
teacher and children, as if they had sprung out of the earth; 
they were coming toward me; they were shivering; they 
could give no account of what had befallen them; never 
saw such miserable-looking beings in my life. I had four 
children there, and did not recognise them. The mud was 
pelted into their skins, so that it could not be washed out; 
it is not all washed out yet. A dead child was found 
40 yards north-west of the school-house. The storm oppo- 
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