NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BERMUDAS. 391 



to be seen ; still the cabbages on either side were as fresh 

 and green as on the morning prior to the storm. To con- 

 vey to the reader in words a faithful picture of the havoc 

 committed by this storm is impossible. 



Abbreviated from the Bermuda Royal Gazette of Decem- 

 ber 2 ist, 1875 : — 



" A hurricane of some violence passed over the Bermudas 

 on the 29th and 30th of August, 1880, which was widely 

 destructive in all parts of the islands. Vessels were sunk 

 and stranded, boats demolished, public and private build- 

 ings blown down, unroofed, or dilapidated ; trees uprooted, 

 broken and despoiled of foliage and fruit ; shrubs, flowers 

 and crops of every kind destroyed or severely damaged ; 

 stone walls, fences, telegraph poles laid prostrate ; and 

 the causeway so much damaged by the sea as to require 

 the labour of months to repair it. Ships involved in this 

 gale while at sea required to be handled with extreme 

 vigilance to enable them to weather it. Many cattle were 

 lost in the transit from New York." 



The climate of Bermuda during the hot months of the 

 year, though at times extremely oppressive, rarely ever 

 exceeds a temperature of eighty-seven ; but the ground 

 absorbs heat so largely during the day as to cause, by 

 radiation, throughout the night, a temperature only four 

 or five degrees lower than that of noon day, and the 

 calmness of the nights is intense. 



When a south-west wind prevails it comes so saturated 

 with moisture as to somewhat resemble a vapour bath, and 

 is most enervating to all. 



In winter there are many days when fires are necessary 

 to render the house habitable ; while at other times the 

 temperature is warm and summer-like. The thermometer 

 seldom falls lower than forty-five; though in 1840 frost 



