38 



THE BOWEN CYCLONE. 



Cape Bowling Green. — 17th to 26th, northerly winds and fine 

 weather. 27th to 2Dth, easterly winds, dull. 



5 

 9 

 10 

 11 

 6 



day, whole gale 



g. 

 q. r. 



q. r. 

 q. r. 

 r. t. 1. 



heavy squalls 



29tb, 9 p.m. S. W. 



30th. 7 a.m. S. W. 



11a.m. S. W. 



1 p.m. W. 

 7 p.m. N. 

 Winds south-west to north, force, 6 to 11 al 



at intervals, thunder and lightning at night, ,31st, northerly winds, 

 unsettled weather. 



Cape Upstart. — 17th to 26th. northerly winds. 27th to 29th, easterly 

 winds. 



29th 9 p.m. S.W. strong 30-08 u. g. m. 



30th 7 a.m. S,W. 29-75 q. r. 



3 p.m. W. „ 29-85 q. r. 



9 p.m. N. ,, 30-00 r. t. 1. 



Heavy squalls, with thunder and lightning, 31st northerly wind, unsettled 

 weather 



Ayr. — Cyclone commenced at 5 a.m , wind from west, increasing till 

 2 p.m., when wind veered to north-west. At 4 p.m. the wind veered to 

 north and gradually abated. 



Stations to the South of Cyclone's Path. 



Extract from Private Letter from Bowen. — "On the Tuesday, 

 29th, the wind was very strong from the south-east. The sky had 

 a leaden appearance, which I did not like, and I referred very frequently 

 to my barometer, one of Fitzroy's Storm Barometers (mercurial), 

 also an aneroid which is adjusted to it. Much to my surprise the 

 mercury went up slightly and stood about 30'4, about -2 above its 

 average, the wind freshened about 11 p.m., when I went down to the beach 

 to see after our boat, the glass still same. Wind blew hard all night, 

 during which time some buildings fell ; at 5 a.m. I got up to have a look at 

 things, found glass still same, verandahs were then flying freely. At about 

 6.30 the glass commenced to fall rapidly, and in less than half-an-hour 

 stood with me at 29-4, but this was too late for any warning, for the wind 

 came at same time, and all went before it, just like a pack of cards in a 

 breeze ; the wind to 9.30 was south-east, and then shifted to 

 east, and blew with additional force, for it was then that most large buildings 

 fell, those which had gone earlier were only light ones ; this lasted for 

 three-quarters of an hour, the wind veered to the north-east, and blew 

 with less force until noon, when it fell off to a strong breeze ; the mercury 

 rose about 11 a.m. and went up until noon, when it stood at 30-00. The 

 storm then followed the direction of telegraph line from here to Clare, 73 

 miles, and swept line before it, broke forty poles off level with the ground, 

 and blew out numbers of others. Strange to say, on my inquiring how 

 poles leaned from here to Clare, line being nearly east and west, they say 

 one mile is leaning one way to north, and the next to the south. The 

 storm struck Clare at noon, and then came from the south-west (mind, I do 

 not vouch for points of compass, except Bowen) , but it must have been near 

 that, because it blew the old telegraph office on the western side into new 

 office, and then there was a smash. At Ravenswood storm seemed to have 

 begun at 10 a.m., but maximum at 3.30 p.m., or three hours later than 

 Clare. Wind south and south-west. This is 30 miles south of Clare. At 

 Ayr, 20 miles north of Clare, they are said to have got it from north-west, 



