110 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



they blow) we shall find that New Zealand from Mokau, south, will fall within 

 their influence. So tiuit the objection raised by Mr. Travers that so small a 

 portion of Australia is beyond the 3-4th parallel is not of consequence as aflect- 

 ing the question. 



The eminent astronomer, Sir Thomas Brisbane, once Governor of Australia, 

 warned me when I first went to that colony, to be on my guard against floods 

 as well as the dreaded droughts, as periodical cycles of wet seasons were 

 certain to occur, in consequence of the southerly extension of the south-east 

 trades. During the last few years unusually heavy rains have fallen all over 

 the territory of New South Wales, as well as in the northern tropical regions 

 of Queensland, extending back to the great levels beyond the Darling. When 

 a river, flowing through a gorge as the Burdekin, an eastern water, does, a 

 mile wide, is raised 100 feet in perpendicular height, it will not be a matter 

 of surprise that these usually arid regions have been temporarily covered with 

 water, as they were when Mr. Oxley, the explorer, first penetrated to what he 

 supposed to be an inland sea. 



Now it is a very interesting fact that during late years the withering effects 

 of the north-westerly winds have at times quite taken people by surprise upon 

 the western seaboard of the North Island. Until the last five or six years 

 winds from that quarter were always sure to bring rain in summer to the 

 expectant farmers at Taranaki, whereas they have now come to be dreaded, as 

 causing their crops and fruit to be blighted. During last summer a W.N.W. 

 wind blew for two days, possessing quite the depressing effect of the sirocco. 

 The sky was cloudless, but round the very summit of the cone of Mount Egmont 

 remained a halo of white cloud, perfectly unchanging in shape and extent ; 

 so hot was the blast, at all events so great its absorbing powers, even at that 

 elevation, that no fleecy streams were borne away with it from the mountain 

 toj). 



I inquired as to the weather on the opposite coast at the time, and found 

 that rains had fallen on the mountains, flooding the rivers which run to 

 Hawke Bay, whilst heated winds were parching the plains around Napier. 

 Mount Egmont at this time was nearly without snow, a little only being 

 visible in the crater, so it will be readily understood that the sharp mountain 

 peak was not sufficient to condense the vapour to such an extent as to produce 

 rain at Taranaki ; for it was evident that this particular current, which seemed 

 BO devoid of moisture to one's feelings, and no doubt left the Australian coast 

 really a dry wind, having deposited its b\irtlien on the usually thirsty plains 

 of that country, had gathered a considerable amount in its passage over the 

 intervening sea, which for some days previous had been perfectly calm, so the 

 })artially loaded westerly wind descended and struck upon the land at the sea 

 level. 



