AUSTRALIAN PICTURES, 



interior, almost treeless and waterless, acts in summer like a great oven 

 with more than tropical heating power, and becomes the great motor force 

 on our winds, by causing an uprush, and consequent inrush on all sides, 

 especially on the north-west, where it has power sufficient to draw the 

 north-east trade over the equator, and into a north-west monsoon, in this 

 way wholly obliterating the south-east trade belonging to the region, and 

 bringing the monsoon with full force on to Australia, where, being warmed, 

 and receiving fresh masses of heated air, it rises and forms part of the great 

 return current from the equator to the south.' 



The ' hot winds ' of the colonists are produced by the sinking down to 

 the surface of the heated current of air, which in summer is continually 

 passing overhead ; and when this wind blows in force upon a clear summer's 

 day things are not pleasant. The thermometer from time to time indicates a 

 degree of heat which is almost incredible. In Southern Melbourne the official 

 record gives a reading of 1 79 degrees in the sun, and 1 1 1 in the shade, and 

 at the inland town of Deniliquin, the official register in the shade is 121 

 degrees. Man and beast and vegetation suffer on these days. The birds 

 drop dead from the trees, the fruit is scorched and rendered unfit for market. 

 The leaves of the English trees, such as the plane and the elm, drop in 

 profusion, so that in early summer it will seem as if autumn had set in. 

 The sick, especially children, are terribly affected, and the doctors attending 

 an infant sufferer will say that nothing can be done except to pray for 

 a change of wind. Happily, such days as these are rare. The hot blast 

 will not often send the temperature up to more than 100 to 105 degrees, 

 and the duration of the heated wind is limited to three days, and often it 

 prevails during only one, sunset bringing with it a cool southern gale. 



A moderate hot wind is relished by many people, for the air is dry and 

 even exhilarating to the strong for a while ; and the claim is made that it 

 destroys noxious germs and effluvia. Sometimes the hot wind will gradually 

 die out, but on other occasions a rushing storm will come up from the south, 

 driving the north wind before it, and in that case the welcome conflict will 

 be preceded by whirling and blinding clouds of dust, and will be accompanied 

 by thunder and lightning and torrents of rain. The fall of the temperature 

 will be something marvellous. The thermometer will be standing at 150 

 in the sun ; then the wind will change, rain will fall, and in the evening 

 the register will be 50° making a difference of 100 degrees in seven or 

 eight hours. 



That these days are exceptional is shown by the manner in which 

 vegetation generally flourishes, and by the admiration which each colonist 

 has for the climate of that particular part of Australia in which he resides. 

 1 The Swan Settlements,' says the Western Australian, ' are the pick of the 

 country. No hot winds there.' At Adelaide the visitor is told : ' Yes, we 

 are often hotter by ten degrees in the sun than they are in Melbourne, but 



