26 RESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 
withstand its force: all sought their dwellings, and had to shut 
doors and windows, and remain for hours confined to their 
houses. The effect of such intense and unparalleled heat was 
demonstrated by the death of calves, rabbits, birds, ete. The 
trees were all blasted; and the fruit, such as pears and apples, 
literally roasted on the trees ere they fell to the ground, and 
the same as if they had been cast on live coals. But, strange to 
say, they were only burned on one side*the direction whence 
came the wind. All kinds of metal became so heated, that for 
hours nothing of the kind could be touched with the naked 
hands. The thermometer rose to nearly fever-heat—in the 
shade. Near an open door, and during the prevalence of this 
properly-called sirocco, the streets were filled with impene- 
trable clouds of fine dust, or pulverized clay. Speculation has 
been rife since to ascertain the cause of such a terrible phe- 
nomenon; but, though we have heard of many plausible theo- 
ries thereon, we have not been fully convinced yet: however 
that might be, we see its terrible effects’ all around us, in 
blighted trees, ruined gardens, blasted fruit, and almost a gen- 
eral destruction of the vegetable kingdom here. We hope we 
will never see the like again.” 
A correspondent of a San Francisco paper wrote thus: “ At 
one o’clock in the afternoon of the 17th instant, a burning wind 
came upon us from the northwest, and smote us with terror. 
At two o’clock, the therrnometer exposed to this wind rose to 
133° of Fahrenheit; at five o’clock, it had fallen to 122°; and 
at seven o’clock, it stood at 77°, where it had been in the 
morning. During the whole time of this visitation, every one 
stayed in the house, taking good care to keep doors and win- 
dows closed. A fisherman who was out at sea came back with 
his arms all blistered. Many calves, rabbits, and birds, died 
of suffocation. The greatest losses are among the vegetables. 
The fruit-trees are all burned ;. the pears and apples have been 
literally cooked.” 
No similar case is mentioned in history or tradition, nor is 
there any explanation of this. 
