246 On the Climate of Nagpir. [May, 
ingly, the cloudy appearances, which have for a day or two, at times, 
shewn a less degree of this state, have never gone on to rain further 
than a few drops; while the weather has generally continued for long 
periods of an extremely settled appearance. 
The hail-storm on the 8th of April, 1831, was referred at the time to 
the occurrence of an opposite current of dry winds, which appeared to 
impinge upon the sheet of rain presented to its influence, and the fol- 
lowing: description, taken from notes immediately afterwards, seems to 
‘confirm this idea. Neither the sympiesometer or thermometer shewed 
any thing worthy of notice at this period. The hygrometer had 
through the 6th and 7th of the month ranged from 1.40 to 1.72, and 
during the 8th, it stood at 2.17 at 9 a. M., 2.12 at 2 Pp. M., and 2.22 
at 8 p. m. Until past 2 p. m. the appearances on the sky had been 
cirrus from a distant nimbal cloud in the morning, cirro-cumulus, 
loose cirro-stratus, and some cumuli, passing below this, also of a loose 
structure. The wind had been blowing from the eastward in the morn- 
ing, changing in the forenoon to the south-east, and continuing from 
thence afterwards; but towards 2 p. m. the course of the cumuli above 
shewed a current of air flowing there from the westward. Shortly af- 
ter two, some distant thunder was heard, and the sky had become 
nearly covered with cirrus. Cumuli were observed to commence rain- 
ing in the west, and they increased in size, and approached from that 
direction about 4p. m. Another nimbus was seen in the south-east- 
ward, while that in the west was advancing, and loud gusts of wind 
with much dust began blowing from the former towards the latter. In 
the mean time, the western cloud kept approaching, the rain falling 
from it, presenting a whitish appearance above the dust, some scud 
was seen passing before it, in a course towards the east, and immedi- 
ately a heavy fall of hail took place, driven by a wind from the west- 
ward. The hail continued to fall for several minutes, and the course 
of the cloud towards the east could be traced for at least four miles, by 
the damage done to the fruit trees, glazed windows, &c. in the canton- 
ment. The breadth of the shower however was extremely small, the 
ground being found quite dry at a few hundred yards to the south- 
ward from where the hail, or rather the masses of ice, fell in greatest 
quantity. These masses were irregular, and clean on the outer surface . 
but in the centre presented a white crystallized appearance. Through- 
out the evening afterwards, several large cumulo-strati were seen in the 
east, with much lightning there; and a cool breeze blew from thence, 
with cumulous fragments of cloud on a clear sky. 
W. G. 
