440 The Hurricane of May 1862. 



where in numerous places there was great destruction caused by 

 the hailstones, but not by the hurricane except in the neighbour- 

 hood of Newark. Near Peterborough, the direction of the 

 storm was from S. to N.E. ; here, for one and a half miles in 

 width, the cropswere devastated by huge hailstonesof threeinches 

 long, two inches wide, and half an inch thick, and much glass 

 was broken. At Oundle, the crops were destroyed and the 

 windows broken, which was also the case at Whittlesea, Eye, 

 Thorney, Crowland, Leeds, Newark, and Whittington near 

 Chesterfield. At Whittlesea, the storm began at three o' clock, 

 and lasted till four o'clock, the wind being rough from S. 

 At Crowland it began at 4 p.m. from S.E. ; here the hail- 

 stones were from four to five inches in circumference. At 

 Whittington, hail commenced falling at 4h. 45m., the wind 

 W., veering to S., then to E., and by 5h. 45m. again W. At 

 Eye, the storm raged from 3 till 4 p.m. At Buxton, the 

 storm commenced between four and five o'clock, and by 5k. 

 45m. p.m. the darkness was too great to allow of reading or 

 working, and gas was lighted; there was heavy rain but no hail. 

 The lightning was first blue, then peach, mauve, or rosy blue. 

 At Whaley Bridge there was a deluge of rain with sudden fierce 

 S.W. gusts. At Walton (five miles from Wisbech) a sudden 

 S.E. gale for a few minutes at 4h. 50m., the sky being very 

 thick in the W. At the Middle Level Sluice, at 5h. 30m., 

 there was a strong S.S.E. wind, with lightning, thunder, and 

 large rain, which moderated at 6 p.m., going to the N. ; 

 strong S. wind till 7 p.m. At Wisbech at 6h. 15m. p.m. 

 the darkness so great as to render it almost impossible to see 

 close to a window ; wind S.W. At Lea (two miles south of 

 Gainsborough) continuous thunder from 4 till 6 p.m., at 

 first over Lincoln ; at 5 p.m. over Newark (where a dark lurid 

 cloud rested), and after 6 p.m. over Worksop. The day was 

 hot till 6 p.m. when a sudden W. breeze sprung up, and it 

 became colder. No rain or hail. At Radborne (five miles 

 N.W. of Derby) the storm came from S. bearing E., com- 

 mencing at half-past four o'clock, and lasting till 6 p.m. Heavy 

 rain but no hail, and the lightning never overhead. The course of 

 the storm was from Burton. At Whittington (three miles from 

 Chesterfield) hail commenced at a quarter to five o'clock with 

 W. wind; some stones were four inches round and one and a 

 quarter inches in diameter, weighing from a quarter to half an 

 ounce, and breaking much glass. The wind soon veered to 

 S., then to E., and in an hour was again W. At Chester- 

 field there was no hail. At Leeds the hailstones were seven 

 inches in circumference. At Wath (near Rotherham) thunder 

 commenced at a quarter past five p.m., and became continuous 

 at a quarter to six j at half-past six very dark, a black cloud 



