192 On Showers of Sand in China. [No. 2. 



and most likely have carried them away. The torrent was awful, — it 

 was an immense resistless mass of turbulent water threatening to 

 engulf everything within its reach. It was a beautiful sight to see so 

 slender a fabric as the bridge built by Major Cladpole spanning the 

 flood : the waves, like huge giants, rushing forward to lash its sides. 

 The water rushed to within six feet of the arch, but did no harm. 

 The freshes visited Coringa at the debouchure of the river and nearly 

 inundated the town. The house of the Collector, the highest in the 

 place, was three feet under water — all the rest were submerged. The 

 loss of property was immense. 



Remarks on Showers of Sand in the Chinese Plain. By 

 D. J. Macgowan, M. D. 



From the Chinese Repertory. 



The phenomenon of falling sand is occasionally observed through a 

 great extent, if not the entire portion of the vast Plain of China. It 

 is of such frequent occurrence that the Chinese regard it with no 

 more surprise than they do the flitting meteor. Probably no year 

 passes without several of these showers, though frequently so minute 

 as to escape general observation. Perhaps as often as once in three 

 years they are very heavy, but it is seldom that sand falls in such a 

 large quantity as it did during the last shower. The phenomenon was 

 witnessed three times during the present year, within a period of five 

 weeks ; the last and greatest commenced on the 26th of March, and 

 continued four days without intermission, varying however in intensi- 

 ty. The wind blew from the north, northeast, and northwest, frequent- 

 ly shifting between these points, and varying in strength from a perfect 

 calm to a brisk breeze. The altitude of the barometer was from 

 29.40, to 30.00 (rather lower than before and after the shower). The 

 thermometer ranged from 36° to 81° F. No rain had fallen for six 

 weeks, and the hygrometric state of the atmosphere was very high. 

 Neither cloud, fog, nor mist obscured the heavens, yet the sun and 

 moon were scarcely visible, the orb of day appeared as if viewed 

 through a smoked glass, the whole sky presenting a uniform, rusty 

 hue. At times this sameness was disturbed, exhibiting between the 



