METEORIC DUSTS, N.S.W. 267 



rise and whirled the dust along in thick choking clouds, which 

 gradually mounted higher and higher into mid air until all the 

 surrounding hills were blotted out, or only seen occasionally, 

 as though a heavy thunderstorm was raging in their vicinity. 

 Thermometer standing, 12'30 p.m. at 94° in the shade, in about 

 the coolest spot to be found in Tumut, viz., large open shed at the 

 Brewery with a thick bark roof, where the beer is cooled before 

 going into the casks, on this occasion the cooling table was covered 

 with cold water to keep the seams tight while no brewing was 

 going on. 



"As Wynyard Street was the main channel of this terrific storm 

 of dust, at times one side of the street was quite invisible to the 

 other, shops had to close all doors, and even then a very fine deposit 

 of dust remained on everything after the storm was over, which 

 eased itself down as the sun declined, and was entirely over at 

 sunset. The fine dust seemed to have attained an altitude of from 

 one mile to a mile and a half, and was travelling from about 

 W.N.W. to E.S.E. (no compass here). When over, the roads 

 were swept clean of fine dust, and the coarse sand lay in regular 

 ridges the same as waves leave it on the sea beach, Perhaps 

 Adelong could give further information as the storm came from 

 their direction. No doubt the fine dust travelled out to sea until 

 beat down by the rain, for I see by the public prints that you had 

 this storm at Sydney the same night. I enclose some of the fine 

 dust obtained from nooks and corners of elevated places, so that 

 you may compare it with that your Moruya correspondent sent 

 you." — Edward Alleyne. 



"Moruya Heads, Meteorological Station, 22nd Dec, 1880. 

 " I have forwarded three samples of the mud or dust shower of 

 the 15th instant, the samples have been carefully collected with a 

 very fine brush, and I think contain very little of any other matter 

 than that which fell during the shower, a great deal has been 

 blown away since the 15th, though now all the bushes, leaves, 

 small trees, etc., show it very plainly. On the morning after the 

 shower a few pounds weight could have been collected from tubs, 

 buckets, rain gauge, etc., but it was all thrown away. 



