?14 Extracts from Correspondence. [Dec. 



palaces, temples, houses, spires, columns, &c. forming altogether a very beautiful 

 spectral appearance, which remained visible for the space of 10 minutes ; after 

 which, it began to alter its appearance, becoming faint and dilapidated, till it 

 gradually disappeared altogether with the passing shower. This phenomenon I 

 do not remember to have ever before seen. It seems to differ from what is 

 called the Fata Morgana in Italy, and I think, partakes more of the nature of 

 what is called the French Mirage, for I observed no reflection on the intervening 

 water ; but it was considerably elevated above the west bank of the river, directly 

 above a grove of mango trees, which were not seen during the shower of rain, 

 and I suppose caused this very singular appearance by the refraction, or reflec- 

 tion of the atmospheric air, of different densities, surrounding the grove. 

 Parhelia or Mock Suns, 19th May, 1834. 



About 5 hours 30 minutes p. m., I observed the most singular and beautiful 

 phenomenon I ever beheld. A dense black cloud, (cumulus,) of a large size, formed 

 itself to the west of Singhea. The sun had just retired behind it, when suddenly 

 there appeared on the upper edge of the cloud four parhelia, or mock suns, exhi- 

 biting the most brilliant colours of green, blue, and scarlet, intermingled, which 

 neither pen nor pencil could describe. The upper part of the cloud was fringed 

 with radii, or small innumerable black rays, shooting upwards with a slow but 

 perceptible motion. 



To heighten the already beautiful effect, in a few minutes the sun burst through . 

 an aperture in the middle of the cloud, with a splendour past description. 

 This phenomenon remained visible for the space of ten minutes, when it gra- 

 dually disappeared, and heavy lightning succeeded, flashing its way towards the 

 south-east. 



Sand Columns. 



During my travels in Behar, I had frequent occasion to notice this phenomenon 

 on the desert sand-banks of the Ganges. The first I ever saw was between 

 Rajmahal and Sicligully, on the 23rd of November, 1830. Several sand columns 

 formed from twenty to sixty feet high, having a whirling motion similar to a 

 water spout at sea. They passed at about half a mile distance, and remained 

 visible for five minutes. 



Feb. \Mh, 1833. Observed several sand columns on the large island between 

 Bar and Mowah. The whirling motion was very perceptible, and they rose in 

 a perpendicular column to more than 100 feet. They only remained whole a 

 few minutes, when they gave way at the base, and dispersed in a cloud of sand. 



Feb. 25th, 1833. On the sands formed by the confluence of the river Soane 

 with the Ganges, we observed two large sand columns, which reared their heads 

 to a great height in the atmosphere, with an obvious whirling motion. The 

 apparent diameter of each seemed to be twelve feet. They remained perfect for 

 the space of several minutes, and then gradually dispersed, forming a cloud of 

 sand, which remained visible for a considerable time, till wafted away to the east, 

 by a slight breeze of wind from the west, which just ruffled the surface of the 

 Ganges. 



These sand columns have not passed unnoticed by the natives, who call them 

 Bundoah. I was told by a respectable native that instances have been known of 

 people being caught in the whirl, and either killed, or severely hurt by their 

 force. I have to notice that on every instance that 1 have observed this pheno- 

 menon, the sky was clear, and not a cloud to be seen. 



Bruce was one of the first to describe these columns in his travels to discover 

 the source of the Nile. That celebrated traveller describes them as tremendous, 

 overwhelming, and destroying whole caravans of men and cattle. 



In Burnes' travels, I find mention made of them under the name of whirlwinds : 

 *' In this neighbourhood (meaning the desert), and more particularly while on 

 the banks of the river, we witnessed a constant succession of whirlwinds, that 

 raised the dust to a great height, and moved over the plain like water-spouts at 

 sea. In India, these phenomena are familiarly known by the name of devils ; 

 where they sometimes unroof a house ; but I had not seen them in that country 

 either of such size or frequency as now prevailed in the Turkm&n desert. They 

 appeared to rise from gusts of wind, for the air itself was not disturbed, but by 

 the usual north wind that blows steadily in this desert." 



