AN ESSAY ON SOUTHERLY BURSTERS. 157 



first time was in September, 1872, when we were camped on the 

 banks of the Paraguay River as far north as 20° south. On that 

 particular occasion we were awakened in the night by a roaring 

 sound which rapidly drew nearer and burst upon us, overturning 

 tents and everything else that offered much resistance without 

 being stable. My hammock was slung to a branch of a big tree, 

 which was torn off, but did me no damage as I had turned out to 

 save the tents. It had all blown over by the morning. On the 

 second occasion, in October, 1873, I was surveying the Alto 

 Parana River, about 21° south, when my Indians noticed the 

 clouds gathering in south, and made at once for the lee of the 

 islands in their canoes. The river at this part is due north and 

 south for many miles, and from one to four miles wide, and as the 

 wind came from due south it beat up a great sea, the waves being 

 quite three feet from crest to bottom. I sailed up before it, and 

 was able to go up rapids that, on ordinary occasions, could only 

 be negotiated by poling and ropes. It did not last long, and on 

 both these occasions was, I imagine, a more violent effort than 

 usual of a pampero which found its way so far north owing to 

 the immense width and openness of the river Plate Valley, of 

 which river both the Paraguay and Parana are confluents. The 

 pamperos are mostly felt at the mouth of the River Plate, where 

 by their violence they often cause considerable damage to shipping. 

 If they are not recorded further south, it is because there are no 

 ports on the east coast nor inhabitants or towns where their 

 recurrence could be noted. 



" In the southern States of Brazil, they are frequently felt, and 

 a friend of mine who has just arrived from Rio Grande du Sul, 

 the most southerly state of Brazil, tells me they occur mostly in 

 the winter months (my friend was asked to verify this statement 

 and his reply will be found further on. — H.A.H.), from April to 

 November. He says they are preceded always by three days 

 rain, which, when over, is immediately followed by the pampero, 

 coming from what he called the south-south-west or nearly due 

 south. They last then for nearly three days and blow with great 



