CLIMATOLOGY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 1 33 



But above all these clouds, these flashes of light, this darkness, rises in stately grandeur 

 the summit of Mt. Washington, "sublime in its canopy of snow;" and Lafayette, with 

 a few peaks of lesser altitude, glitters in the bright sunlight. As the sun rises higher, 

 the picture fades away, and the whole country is flooded with light. Did this grandeur, 

 this magnificence, this grand display of lights, of shadows, and shades, these clouds, 

 so resplendent, so beautiful, portend a storm? In the evening the wind changed to 

 the south-east, and increased in velocity. 



At daylight, on the second, it was snowing. This soon changed to sleet, and then to 

 rain ; and, at 8 A. m., the velocity of the wind was 70 miles per hour. At 12, there was 

 a perfect tempest. Although the wind was so fearful, yet Mr. Clough was determined 

 to know the exact rate at which it was blowing. By clinging to the rocks he succeeded 

 in reaching a place where he could expose the anemometer, and not be blown away him- 

 self. He found the velocity to be 974 miles per hour, the greatest velocity, until that 

 time, ever recorded. When he reached the house he was thoroughly saturated, the 

 wind having driven the rain through every garment, although they were of the heaviest 

 material, as though they were made of the lightest fabric. During the afternoon, the 

 rain and gale continued with unabated violence. The rain was driven through every 

 crack and crevice of the house, and the floor of our room was flooded. So fierce was 

 the draught of the stove, that the wind literally took away every spark of fire, leaving 

 only the half-charred wood in the stove ; and it was with the greatest difficulty that we 

 succeeded in rekindling it. During the evening, the wind seemed to increase in fury ; 

 and although the window was somewhat protected, yet nearly every glass that was 

 exposed was broken by the pressure of the gale. As the lights were broken, the fire 

 was again extinguished ; and even my hurricane lantern was blown out as quickly as if 

 the flame had been unprotected. Darkness, if not terror, reigned ; but calmness, with 

 energy, are requisites for such an occasion, and, fortunately, they were not wanting 

 now. Our necessities quickly showed us what to do. By nailing boards across the 

 windows, and by the use of blankets, we stopped the openings the wind had made. 

 After 9 p. M. there were occasional lulls in the storm, and by 12 it had considerably 

 abated, at least enough to bring on that depression that naturally succeeds a period of 

 intense excitement ; so we willingly yielded ourselves to sleep, to dream of gentle 

 zephyrs and sunny skies. 



Although as a rule rains in winter are not common on the summits of 

 our high mountains, yet observations thus far show that every third 

 winter they may be quite frequent. 



As already indicated, the clouds are often spread out in a thin stratum 

 over a large area, and we look forth upon an illimitable sea of mist glit- 

 tering in the sunlight, while every peak, except that on which we stand, 

 is concealed by clouds. So it is not uncommon for it to be a dark day in 

 the valleys, while on the summit of the mountain we are in the bright 



