PHENOMENON AT BUSSORA, ^^ 



XV. 



Account of a Phenomenon, that occurred at Bussora. From 

 Travels in Asia and Africa, by the late Abraham Par- 

 sons, Esq., Consul and Factor- Alarine at Scanderoon. 



.ARCH the 15th, 1775. At four this afternoon, the Sudden dark- 

 sun then shining' bri'^ht, a total darkness conimenced in an "<^*^ 

 instant, when a dreadful consteraation seized every person 

 in the city of Bassova, the people running- backward and 

 forward in the streets, tuaibling over one another, quite dis- 

 tracted, while those in the houses ran oat in amazement, 

 doubting" whether it were an eclipse, or the end of the world. 

 Soon after the black i-.oud which had caused this total dark- 

 ness, a'jproached near the city, preceded by as loud a noise 

 as I ever heard in the greatest storm. This was succeeded attended with 

 by such a violent whirlwind, mixed with dust, that no man a viol em whirl- 

 in the streets could stand upon his legs; happy were those ^^"^ mixed 

 who could rind, or had already obtained, shelter, while those ^^""^ *^"^'" 

 who were not so fortunate were obliged to throw themselves 

 down on the spot, where they ran great risk of being suffo- 

 cated, as the wind lafted full twenty minutes, and the total 

 darkness half an hour. The dust was so subtile, and the 

 hurricane so furious, that every room in the British factory 

 was covered with it, notwithstanding we had the precaution 

 to shut the doors and windows on the first appearance of the 

 darkness, and to light candles. / 



At half past five the cloud had passed the city, the sun 

 instantly shone out, no wind was to be heard, nor dust felt, 

 but all was quite serene and calm again ; Avlien all of us in 

 the factory went on the terrace, and observed the cloud had 

 entirely passed over the river, and was then in Persia, 

 where it seemed to cover full thirty miles in breadth on the The cloud 59 

 land, but how far in length could not be even guessed at: miles broad, & 

 it flew along at an amazing rate, yot was half an hour in half an hour in 

 passing over the city. It came from the north-west, and P*^^"'o' 

 went straight forward to the south-east. 



Tho officers of the company's cruizers came on shore as 

 soon as the cloud had passed their ships, and declared that 

 the wind was so violent, and the dust so penetrating, that 

 no man could stand upon the decks; and that after it was 

 over, every place below on board the ship was covered v.ith 

 dust. Such a phenomenon never was known before, in the 

 memory of the oldest man now living at Busiora. 



SCIENTIFIC 



