436 A Twenty -fourth Memoir on the Law of Storms. [No. 5. 



there was scarcely any wind at all, till sunrise on the 14th, when a strong 

 breeze from the East sprung up, and continued all day, the day being 

 bright and clear, so much so, indeed that I never once thought of a gale 

 being so very near at hand. I retired to my bed at my usual early hour, 

 and slept soundly till midnight, when I perceived that the wind had 

 somewhat increased; but still there was no rain, and I in consequence 

 thought not of a gale. At half-past 2 a.m. 15th, I was roused up by a 

 crash in the verandah, and the clapping and banging of doors and windows 

 all over the house. I ran into the Southern verandah, through which I 

 found the wind and the well known storm sleet was rushing like a torrent, 

 announcing at once what was probably in store for us. I made all snug, 

 and prepared for a blow, and a blow we had with a vengeance. From 

 3 a. m. of the 15th till 6 o'clock, it blew as hard as it could, and from 6 

 till 9 it blew still harder I My house is a very strong pucka one, yet it 

 shook from end to end under each sounding shock it received from the 

 terrific gusts of wind; doors, windows, sun-shades, Venetians, &c. &c. 

 were blown in and out, and sent flying all round the factory like shreds 

 of brown paper, trees were torn up by the roots, sheds and houses laid 

 low. The river which had risen 6 feet, lashed its banks in fury, till the 

 said banks came toppling over with a tremendous splash and surge, to add 

 to the general confusion. During all this time the wind was veering 

 from East to South East, to South ; at 9 it went round to South, then to 

 S. W., and eventually (at about 1 p. m.) died away at West. Since the 

 gale we have had one S. Wester and two North- Westers, accompanied 

 with heavy rain." 



The following is an extract of a letter from Malda, Lat. 25° 03' N. 

 Long. 88° 04' East, 20th May. 



The following is an extract of a letter from Malda, 20th May : — 



"The Cyclone noticed in your paper of the 17th instant visited this 

 district, but as its centre must have passed considerably to the Eastward 

 of us, little damage has been done to our plant. 



" Not being in my own house during the gale, I could not notice the 

 Barometer, which I much regret. 



" 14th May. — On the afternoon it was evident enough that bad weather 

 was in store for us, but as we were much in want of rain to refresh our 

 drooping plant, the heavy clouds were hailed with delight. The heaviest 

 looking clouds were towards the South-East, and were accompanied with 

 vivid lightning. I noticed nothing more, and it was only when I rose on 

 the morning of the 15th, that I was aware that a Cyclone was passing 

 over, the centre of which must be some distance to the Eastward. 



