A HURRICANE. 47 



violent gusts of wind, seemed the announcement 

 of some terrible convulsion. Torn by the blast, 

 tbe noblest trees of the forest bowed their lofty 

 heads, the cracking of their branches and the 

 heaving of their massive stems preceding the 

 crash of their entire destruction. Others of 

 enormous size, rent up at once entirely by the 

 roots, fell in one vast heap of ruin to the earth. 

 Some, with colossal branches, like giant arms, 

 outspread for the conflict, offered a momentary 

 resistance, to be suddenly snapped across the 

 centre ; while the victorious tempest, carrying in 

 its current a mass of twigs and lighter foliage, 

 whirled around a cloud of dust which obscured 

 the air. 



The groaning of the desolated forests mingled 

 with the storm, as hurrying, with shrieking war- 

 cry or sullen howl, along its desolating track, its 

 tumult could have been equalled only by the 

 roar of the Niagara cataract. Speedily, as it 

 arose, the fury of the hurricane subsided, though 

 for hours the air was thickened by the abun- 

 dance of lighter foliage, still swept around by 

 the gale. An odour, as of sulphur, then filled the 

 atmosphere, and the greenish lurid sky looked 

 down upon the huge heap of vegetation, which, 

 in shapeless masses, marked the course of the 

 hurricane. So rapidly had it advanced, that be- 

 fore Audubon could take measures for his safety, 



