268 Rotary Action of the Providence Tornado 
prostrates fences, even in the path of a tornado. Besides, near 
the center of such an inward blowing tornado, where only it 
could act on these fences with Jateral force, such winds must ne- 
cessarily become neutralized both by blowing against each other 
and by turning upward to escape, thus having little effect at this 
point, within four feet of the ground. I say nothing here of the 
possibility of any winds blowing with violence in such central 
directions ; which I could never conceive: For the entire spaces 
between the centripetal lines of arrows must be conceived as be- 
ing filled by the affluent winds; the lines only indicating their 
directions. 
But on the other hand, let us suppose a strong whirlwind pass- 
ing in the same direction; the front half of which, both on and 
near the line pursued by its axis, must necessarily sweep laterally 
across this line, first northwardly towards f, if it be revolving to 
the left ; and the last half of the whirl on its arrival will sweep 
southwardly towards e. That only the fence e was thus pros- 
trated by the first wind of the tornado may be explained by the 
protection afforded to f by the house, against the advancing 
whirl, and perhaps here, also, by the spirally upward tendency 
towards the center, in the wind which thus came round the 
southeast corner of the house, prostrating e in its course. But 
on the passing of the axis of the whirl, the wind would recut 
with increased force from the opposite direction, upon the fence 
Fs prostrating it towards e; while the latter, being already down, 
and in turn partially protected by the house, would ppinn.2 as it 
first fell. 
In passing over the track of the tornado between Burt’s house 
and Providence river, several instances and groups of prostration 
were observed. But owing to the open character of the grounds 
throughout most of the track, the memorials afforded by the trees 
were less frequent than have been seen in other cases, 
Near the Pawtuxet turnpike, the tornado encountered a new 
house belonging to Mr. Gardner. This house was in the south- 
ern portion of the track om the right of the avis, and was t® 
and turned several feet, towards the left. 
Ti mo od to mention here that the order of changes- in the 
*% , viewing the tornado either as a whirlwind, 
and seen in fi Il, would at any , 
Pies cine Font rae the aie 48g successively 
