44 THE PLAINS. 



Many of the hailstones were three some four, five, and 

 even six inches in circumference and in many cases 

 they were not rounded stones, but irregular shapeless 

 masses of ice. 



There is still another storm to which the plains are 

 subject, called a ' sand-storm.' It is not necessary that 

 the wind should blow particularly strong to bring on one 

 of these, but that it have an inclination to the ground. 

 A terrific wind-storm may sweep over and parallel to the 

 surface, without much disturbing the dust ; but one of 

 these impinging winds picks up everything dust, sand, 

 and pebbles of the size of a pea drives them through 

 the air, rendering it most painful, and even dangerous, to 

 open the eyes, and shutting out almost entirely the light 

 of day. These storms are of frequent occurrence all 

 over the plains, and are exceedingly disagreeable, though 

 easily avoided by getting into a ravine. I have frequently 

 watched through a window the phenomena of these 

 ' sand-storms.' Even though the wind did not appear to 

 blow hard, and the surface passed over seemed to offer 

 but little of dust or sand, the cloud of flying particles 

 was so thick, that at many times it was impossible to see 

 twenty feet ahead. No crevice is too small for many of 

 these particles, which penetrate into even the most tightly 

 closed room, and no end of anathemas and feminine 

 ' bad words ' have been lavished on these ' sand-storms ' 

 by the fair followers of the drum. 



All these storms are exceptional, the summer and 

 fall weather .of the high plains being as near perfect as it 

 is possible to imagine. 



