26 Meteorological Observations. [Jan. 



inches at high water in the morning, although, when the springs came on, the 

 highest level was only 17 feet 9 inches in the night tide of the 4th. The low- water 

 level was raised more than 5 feet, being by the mark 13 feet, instead of 7 feet 10 

 inches, its proper level, in the day tide of the 1st November. 



Such was the character of the storm at Calcutta, where few fallen trees exhibited 

 signs of extraordinary violence. Indeed, it would seem to hare been more sparing 

 of its ravages here than almost in any place exposed to its influence. Hundreds 

 of boats are said to have been lost upon the Ganges, some of them laden with 

 Indigo ; and a letter from Bancoorah reports the destruction of trees to have been 

 very great in that neighborhood. The weather at Saugor is thus described by a 

 gentleman residing at Ferntosh. 



" 30th October, 2 P. m. clouds gathering in the E. quarter — 3 r. m. some 

 drops of rain. 



31st, morning, strong breeze from N. E. with light rain — increasing towards 

 noon with heavy rain — evening, hard gale at E. and heavy driving rain — 8, j0 p. M. 

 blowing very hard from S. E. and the tide beginning to pass over the bunds of 

 the estate — 10 p. M. wind S. W. blowing a hurricane — trees and houses fallirg— 

 the wooden bungalows shaking very much, and the water within a foot of the floor, 

 which is raised between 5 and 6 feet above the ground. 



1st November — wind S. W. moderating, but strong squally breezes all day from 

 S. W. to W. S. W. without rain. 



2nd— wind N. to N. W. and cloudy." 



Here the gale was much more severe than that of 1823, and the water rose at 

 least a foot higher over the land : but its greatest fury was spent in the Midnapore 

 district, and on the unfortunate coasts of Kedgeree, Hidgelee, and Balasore. The 

 large bunds of those coasts, behind which a numerous population slept in fancied 

 security, were suddenly overwhelmed by a tremendous wave, sweeping away with 

 resistless force every house and every article of property in the native villages, and 

 destroying the paddy crops, all the cattle of an extensive tract of country, and a 

 large portion of the inhabitants. Hundreds of cattle were seen floating past the 

 ships at the Sand Heads. The Collector of Balasore, who with difficulty saved 

 himself and his family, has given a frightful picture of the desolation around 

 him — the atmosphere being infected by the carcases of men and animals, which the 

 retiring waters had left scattered upon the ground. A letter from Cuttack, pub- 

 lished in the newspapers, estimates the destruction of lives at 10,000, the 

 entire population of 300 villages, which are said to have been annihilated by the 

 waves. The inundation extended from Kedgeree as far as Cuttack, and even broke 

 through the bunds at Culpeeand Diamond Harbour, besides creating a tremendous 

 bore of 5 feet in the Roopnarain, at Tumlook, which destroyed a great many boats 

 and nearly all the people in them. 



Saugor has been more fortunate than the opposite coast ; but, although from 

 age and the grass upon them, the bunds of all the estates were stronger, while at 

 the same time they were in general larger than in 1323, and mostly in good repair; 

 no part of the island has escaped inundation, except a few of the tanks— a very 

 important exception, with reference to the time of year, and the number of persons 

 dependent upon them for subsistence. 



low water, the river level being 9 feet 3 inches, instead of 6 feet 4 inches, as it 

 ought to have been by calculation. 



