t88L] t)f the Bay of Bengal m 1885. 119 



the Satpura plateau, and have an average height of 2000 feet. It thence 

 passed across the valleys of the Taptee and Nerbudda and the Vindhya 

 Hills into Indore and Malwa. The average elevation of the Vindhyas in 

 that portion over which the cyclonic storm advanced is 2,500 feet. From 

 Malwa, it passed westwards over the low plains of Guzerat and Cutch, 

 the highest points of which do not exceed 800 or 900 feet in height, and 

 crossed the coast of Sind between Bhuj and Kurrachee into the Arabian 

 Sea, where its existence for at least twelve to eighteen hours afterwards is 

 proved by the direction of the winds at Kurrachee and the neighbouring 

 stations. 



The above briefly indicates the varied character of the surface over 

 which it advanced. During a considerable portion of its course on land, 

 thfe average elevation of the country over which it travelled exceeded 

 2000 feet. Much of the ground was very broken and irregular 

 country, the higher points of which exceeded 3000 feet in elevation. The 

 only inference that can reasonably be drawn is that the cyclonic circula- 

 tion extended to a height very considerably greater than 2000 or 3000 

 feet. Hence it was a cyclone of high elevation, and the cyclonic circu- 

 lation near the earth's surface was of comparatively little importance, and 

 not necessarily an index or measure of the intensity of the cyclone. 



The chief features of the motion of the storm centre have already 

 been indicated in the history of the cyclone. Its very slow motion 

 during and for some time after its formation, or from noon of the 27th to 

 noon of the 29th, is remarkable. During this interval of 48 hours, its 

 rate of motion apparently never exceeded 5 miles per hour, and during 

 the greater part of the period it varied between 2 and 4 miles. After 

 noon of the 29th, it rapidly increased its speed, and, during the greater 

 part of the next 24 hours, moved with a velocity varying between 10 and 

 15 miles. When the centre approached the high hills and broken ground 

 of North Orissa, it experienced a very considerable retardation. As already 

 stated {vide page 99), it lost energy and shewed signs of disintegration. 

 The rainfall decreased in amount, the barometric depression was much 

 smaller, and the disturbance was diffused over a larger area, although 

 it was less regular and weaker in character. This was, however, followed 

 by an increase of its energy due to its drawing supplies of vapour from the 

 Bombay coast. The preceding changes were reversed. During this inter- 

 val, the average rate of its motion was about 8 niiles per hour. Its velo- 

 city increased on the 1st of July, and, during the remaining three days 

 of its existence on land, it moved with a fairly uniform Velocity of 

 about 15 miles per hour. 



Another important feature was the amount and distribution of tho 

 rainfall during tho cyclonic storm. At the Head of the Bay, the rainfall 



